The over-riding impression I took away from the production was one of enthusiasm yet when I look at my notes I discover references early on to moments in the production and individual performances which were rather flat. One area which could never be accused of such lapses was the orchestral work. From the opening bars of the well-played overture right through to the finale here was a Musical Director and Orchestra that were not only determined to give the numbers full value but buzzed them along at a merry pace. It is easy to create that sort of effect in numbers like ‘ Oklahoma’ but with some of the others the pace can easily become too slow and self-indulgent. On occasions I have even heard the ‘Farmer and The Cowman’ dragging its heels. This M.D. showed her intentions clearly in the tempo in which she took the romantic number ‘People Will Say We’re In Love’. Like virtually all romantic numbers given half a chance singers and orchestra have a tendency to enjoy them too much and get slower and slower as they wallow in the sentiment. Absolutely no opportunity for anyone to wallow on this occasion as the M.D. took the number at a brisk tempo. This was maintained throughout the number which was all the better for it. ‘Many a New Day’ was also taken at a nice brisk pace not too fast so that we lost the feel of the number. This style admirably suited the good use made of the chorus by the Choreographer in this scene. There was a sense of fun rather than serious dance intent about the chorus’ work in ‘Many a New Day’. Only one little minus mark in the setting of this scene Laurey was nearly blocked by the little girl just as she went for the final notes of the song. Fortunately this was just avoided and with perfect timing the hat was placed on the attractive young lady so that she could take her place to help ensure a lovely picture to end this sequence.

There was a fine menacing tone from the orchestra for the ballet scene. The decision not to insert a full ballet was based I presume on a mixture of the talents available and/or the Director’s idea on the effectiveness of such a scene. Having seen as many full ballets fall flat on their face as others proved to be exciting and thoroughly enjoyable I bow to his judgement. My only regret was that the impressive set up by the orchestra equalled by the lighting team’s work could not be exploited.

The scenes leading up to this finale of Act I had a few problems. The change into the Smoke House was effectively carried out. This was a small area but in fairness a Smoke House would not be exactly a big mansion affair. Changing patterns of light creating shadows helped to change the mood. They also emphasised white colours on stage which made a lie to one of Curly’s lines. ‘Beneath those two dirty shirts he always wore’ sang Curly but Jud’s white vest, instead of the more traditional red one, for all it may have been grubby when looked at close up appeared pristine to the audience in those shadowy lights. The cloud effects behind ‘Lonely Room’ were created in fine style. By their very nature, however, they lightened the effect on this brooding dark scene which was not quite what was wanted.

A good change by the stage crew back to Aunt Eller’s yard and ‘Out of My Dreams’ which followed found the chorus in excellent form. Particularly well done was some of the solo lines which were contributed to this number. The chorus’ exit left Laurey in a perfectly isolated spot centre stage. Then came one of those unfortunate moments when the Director must have felt like W C Fields who firmly believed that all mechanical things were designed to frustrate, upset and annoy him. The black curtains designed to come in and give a stark backdrop to the scene made a noisy entrance and then steadfastly refused to close properly leaving a nasty gap. All the preplanning went for nought in the face of this mechanical enemy. No one can be blamed for this and although I do not wish to make a pun the best thing I can say is let’s draw the curtain on this event!

The decision to go for a dramatic line rather than the traditional ballet at the end of Act I was perfectly justified. I do not believe that acting editions are sacrosanct and if you feel that the scene as suggested does not suit your production for any reason then by all means change it or bend it a little. A combination of the talents of the three principals concerned, the orchestra and the lighting team ensured that Act I closed in a perfectly acceptable style.

My first and only complaint about the M.D. was the fact that she snuck into position and didn’t give us a chance to give her and her fine orchestra an appreciative round of applause. This has an added bonus of helping to settle an audience after they have relaxed during the interval. With the sort of quality we had coming from the orchestra pit none of the singers had any excuses for not producing their best. Nothing but good support also came from the backstage team. Changes were carried out with speed and efficiency ensuring the action did not flag because of any sloppy work. It was a pity that we had to make use of the apron with the main curtains drawn for Ali Hakim’s farewell to Ado Annie. I can appreciate the reasons for this and whatever was happening behind the curtain it was done without creating any great noise or disturbance to those out front. Another big plus mark for the stage team.

Sets were effective making good use of the space available and enhanced by the well chosen properties. Many of them like the carpet beater and trestles were put to good use. The sign at Ike Skidmore’s was another plus helping to break up a large rather bleak space. The stove was a but puny for the job it was set to do and it appear to be rather incongruous stuck as it was for no particular reason on the end of the barn. That cart brought on by the girls was attractive. I presume it was that clean and smart because it had been made ready for the box social. Left where it was back centre it provided a useful new acting area which the Director took full advantage of. An attractive ‘ Surrey’ arrived for the wedding scene and finale. Not many chances for the sound team to show what they could do but the ones that were on offer were not missed. A dog barking in the sounds of a farm yard preceded ‘Oh What a Beautiful Morning’ helping to set the opening scene. A nicely judged sunrise was contributed by the lighting crew who also helped to change the mood for the more romantic part of ‘ Surrey’. Offstage noises indicating Ali Hakim’s first arrival were well judged and produced. Will Parker’s arrival on horseback was a little over the top and not surprisingly drew an easy laugh from the audience. Changes of light perfectly timed enhanced ‘People Will Say We’re in Love’, Skidmore’s set up for the box social with those lanterns and dark blue sky. I wasn’t quite so enamoured with the rather bright green that we had on the backcloth on one occasion. The silhouette effect that we had at the end was first class.

Costumes were in the main very much a plus factor in the proceedings. It is easier, therefore, to list the ones which failed to fully please than the majority that did. For instance Curly arrived in a dark Stetson which was also the badge of the baddie in western films. Something lighter and brighter in appearance was called for. Nice to see Curly and Will Parker wearing leather chaps as they would being working cowhands. A few more pairs of genuine cowboy boots would have added to what was overall a good picture. In all fairness such footwear is not readily available and the shortage of them was not a big disaster. It is easier to find the right sort of boots for the girls to be well shod and Laurey and Ado Annie were amongst many sporting nice footwear. Ado Annie’s fine bloomers were well to the fore fitting admirably into her outgoing character. Some lovely best dresses for the girls going to the box social, the selection of bright ginghams was particularly pleasing. If you wanted to be pedantic you could have used the differing materials to separate farming and ranching girls. I am sure the Choreographer would have made good use of this in the ‘Farmer and The Cowman’. That being said she more than did an adequate job in this number as it was. As materials and differing styles would not exactly have been plentiful in Oklahoma territory at this time cross-fertilisation of dress styles would have been inevitable. All of which makes this picture just about right. To return to the Choreographer’s work this was of a high standard throughout. The movements she designed fitted so well into the music that was available and to the abilities of her cast as such. It is very easy for a Choreographer to get carried away because they see more elaborate pictures in their mind’s eye and know exactly how they would like the scene to progress but they have to, as we all have to, cut their cloth according to that which is available and throughout this production I never had the impression that anybody felt that they were being put under such pressure that they were unable to handle the work they had been given. The result was that there was always a nice relaxed natural feeling to the pictures that were being created for us on stage.

Aunt Eller’s first costume fitted readily into the character. The party dress for the box social was also nice if a little posh for a working farmer. Laurey’s change to pale blue for the social was ideal. A nice wedding dress and going away outfit came later. The idea of keeping her in pale colours giving Ado Annie a more definite costume image was well thought out. Those vivid colours worn by Gertie Cummings helped to pick her out from the crowd. Often a character like this one so important within a scene tends to get lost because they are wearing costumes which are so similar to all those around them. Ali Hakim in the sort of bold checks you expect topped by a bowler hat looked fine but the blue colour of the material muted the effect a little and perhaps a little more garish would have been better. Curly’s outfit at the social blended nicely with Laurey’s. Not quite certain about the saddle he brought into the auction nice as it was it didn’t appear to have the bulk of a genuine cowboy’s saddle. Now you can tell me that it came straight from a Texas ranch.

Gunshots which can so easily go wrong all arrived on time with the right sort of ringing report. The sound team were spot on again when Jud fired off his gun in the Smoke House. That dog barked immediately as a farmyard hound would. This combined with the mutterings of the others arriving at speed on the scene created the right response to such a shot. I have already touched on Jud’s appearance and he was one character who did bother me a little. As he says himself ‘I’ve got dirt under my fingernails’ coming of course from handling pig slop etc. He is the sort of man who even when he tries would still look grubby and unkempt. I return to the white vest as the main problem. Red combinations of vest and pants with a dirty check shirt left open to the waist to reveal most of the vest behind it can easily with some five o’clock shadow make Jud into a rather unwholesome menacing looking figure. Darker trousers would have shown stains more easily to the audience and would have also helped the cause. Close up the white vest and those light trousers might have been very tatty and dirty but from my position half way back in the hall they looked quite respectable. We need this sort of picture, this feeling that no nice self respecting girl would ever be attracted to a man like this and his costume did not help to paint such a picture. It was good to see the players continue in character throughout the bows. More than one performance has been undermined by the players slipping way out of character after working so hard to paint a strong portrait.

A round of applause also for the audience for applauding each individual player and group individually. All too often modern audiences slip into applauding in time with the music being played. When this happens it becomes impossible to respond to individual performances giving them their due respect that you feel that they deserve. This was a more discerning audience who would and did express their appreciation not just applaud en bloc like a herd of sheep. And there were individual performances in this well constructed production that deserved to as they did receive due recognition from the audience.

 CURLY

Between a slight disappointment about your appearance and an apparent problem with the microphone as you began to sing ‘Oh What a Beautiful Morning’ you hardly through no fault of your own kicked off in top form. Fortunately none of this hit your confidence and you quickly settled into a comfortable characterisation. It also didn’t undermine your singing which was always well controlled and brought the character you had created into the numbers. You struck up a nice relationship immediately with Laurey teasing her in a manner that only someone who had genuine affection for her could do. It was not surprising that she responded by chasing you with the carpet beater. Because of this well drawn relationship with Laurey your attitude towards Jud when he showed an interest in her was just as one would have expected. I don’t know what sort of pictures Jud showed you in the Smoke House but they didn’t seem to take your interest to any great extent. ‘That would make me blind’ you said having barely given them a cursory glance. You have to give yourself time to take in things like pictures, letters or ‘phone calls etc if your reaction is to look realistic. The ‘Poor Jud’ duet was sung well. You rather misjudged the build up trying to egg Jud onto hanging himself. It is he who gets more and more edgy finally snapping and firing his gun. Like Eargo you should quietly and insidiously feed this weakness building the tension within him. By raising your voice you joined in the frenzy of lost control rather than, as you should have, controlling it. No problems about your reaction to Laurey kissing you, this came over completely naturally as someone who had enjoyed the incident tremendously. The whole of that scene which followed Laurey’s dismissal of Jud was acted very convincingly. The fight is always a sticky moment and can easily fall very flat. This one was well choreographed and performed. Crowd reactions and comments were good helping to bring realism to the scene. This was not the most robust Curly I have every seen but it was one full of great sincerity and the way in which those final scenes was played as you were about to leave on your honeymoon with Laurey underlined why she loved him and he was so popular amongst his contemporaries.

LAUREY

You have to be careful with Laurey because she can easily come over as a rather selfish tease. She is happy to pock fun at Curly but when he turns the tables on her she cannot accept his teasing. Jud is obsessed by her and she uses this to get back at Curly. When Jud reacts violently to being used she turns on him angrily denying any fault in herself To prevent us finding her a selfish character Laurey has to be played skilfully to show that her actions may be thoughtless but never malicious. You trod this narrow line extremely well. That pouted response to Curly’s tale of the ‘ Surrey’ had a touch of the schoolgirl about it. As did the chase after Curly with the carpet beater. The song itself ‘ Surrey with the Fringe on Top’ was as well acted as sung. Good staging and lighting added to its effectiveness. Your reaction when you discovered the ‘Rig’ was real and you were stuck with Jud as a partner was first class. ‘Many a New Day’ was another musical success with the girls more than pulling their weight in the number. I have already commented on the upbeat tempo for ‘People Will Say We’re in Love’. This romantic duet was one of the big hits in the original production and even in this more cynical age when sung as it was on this occasion .with sincerity it is still highly enjoyable. The scenes with Jud when you dismissed him followed by the romantic one with Curly were finely played. The mixture of fear over what you had done and anticipation of life with Curly was excellent. Your stage presence showed well when your hat fell off just as you were about to depart on your honeymoon. No pause just a natural response and on with the scene completely in character. A character which had been fully created and never slipped out of place.

AUNT ELLER

It is a pleasant change to find the philosophical old critter in a western turning out to be a woman rather than a man. Had this been a male role it is the sort of part that the great Walter Brennan, the only man to win three Academy awards for best supporting actor, would have lapped up. The only thing it lacks to make it a part anyone would kill for is a big number. Like Colonel Pickering in ‘My Fair Lady’ Aunt Eller can only join in others’ musical opportunities picking up the pieces and giving full support. In other words it is a role that requires acting rather than singing. You struck a good pose immediately observing rather than trying to dominate the opening scene. Whilst you correctly allowed Laurey and Curly to take centre stage you joined in when necessary making strong points. I don’t know it ., dancing is your favourite pastime but you certainly needed no second invitation to join in the two-step with Will. In fact you joined in a little too readily more persuasion should have been needed. A lovely tender moment was created when you entered at the end of -Scene One. The pause and stance as you watched from the porch then came down to give Laurey a handkerchief to wipe a smudge rather than a tear was perfectly timed. As was the fade-out from this scene and the move into the Smoke House. The auction wasn’t quite up to that very high standard but you were back in top form at the ‘trial’ crushing Cord Elam with the suggestion that he was carrying on with another woman. This is a role to enjoy, you appeared to do so and subsequently so did we the audience.

JUD FRY

Rod Steiger who played this role in the film version of the show was a product of Lee Strasbourg’s actors’ study. A method actor along with the likes of Marlon Brando, James Dean, Montgomery Clift and Lee Marvin, to mention just a few, he was one of the few successes in this rather poor adaptation of the stage show. His brooding internal emotions with occasional outbursts suited the media of film very well. Compared to the usual portrayals we see on stage this was an understated Jud which had many echoes of Steiger. One particular moment when you told Curly at the auction that he could not sell his gun because he would need it very badly was completely a la Rod Steiger. Don’t get me wrong I am not accusing you of aping or impersonating Steiger. This performance had a great deal more to it than that. What I am saying is that this portrayal had the same sort of internalisation of the character that we had in the film. Although there was the underlying menace so essential to the character for me it needed to be opened up more to fully fill the bigger more open spaces a stage offers as opposed to a film. This internal playing was used to good effect, however, in certain scenes. The Smoke House where you built up to nerve­snapping tension before shooting the pistol in the air and the scene with Laurey Where she finally dismisses you from her service created a lovely sense of threat and menace. Both of you can take a bow for that particular scene in which you bounced lines off one another with great strength. The duet with Curly in the Smoke House ‘Poor Jud’ went well and you handled the extremely difficult number ‘Lonely Room’ skilfully. After all the good work throughout the show the final scene is the one place where this characterisation can easily be sabotaged. To begin with sometimes Jud arrives so drunk that he has trouble standing let alone getting involved in a life threatening fight. The fight itself, of course, is the crunch spot and sometimes this is over so quickly that you have hardly blinked your eye before poor Jud is being carried out. Or it can go on for quite some time but look completely phoney at the end. You struck just the right note on entering, a man who had _just enough drink in him to shore up his courage but not enough to make him incapable of handling himself in any form of encounter. You played your full part in the well choreographed fight which ended a thoughtful characterisation on a high note.

ADO ANNIE CARNES

You need a good actress to play Ado Annie because although she generates a great deal of fun she also has to help set up comedy for others. You cannot, therefore, get away with just portraying a rather silly young girl. And of course you have to handle a couple of tricky if rewarding numbers. ‘I Can’t Say No’ was set up quite well but lacked a little confident bite in its presentation. This may have been due to an effort to take the accent into the lyrics which caused a few of them to be blurred. Father and Ali Hakim’s argument over you was helped on its way considerably by your interjections and reactions. Those arm movements behind your back as All Halim kissed you were another comedy plus to the show. The bi-play between you, Ali and Will all worked a treat as did the ‘All Er Nothin’ number. The ‘Who wants to be Dead’ line missed out a little because it came in too soon before the audience was ready for it to be fully effective. In contrast the lovely response when you returned from the hay after the disagreement with Will was spot on. This was a nice bright portrayal of a character whose complications are nearly all in her own head.

WILL PARKER

If you happen to have an outstanding dancer in your Club it is very tempting to cast him as Will Parker and really use the role to do nothing more than be a showcase for his talents. That’s all well and good but it does rather lose out on a great deal more that the character has to offer. This portrayal with a nice sense of comedy and a good manner in putting over a number gave us a great deal more than just dancing ability. You swept in with a good bright first entrance on the shoulders of the men spoilt only by the fact that somehow or another they got you too near the curtain stage left and rather dragged it on with them. Whoever was responsible for that can shoulder the blame. You showed off your purchases with great relish. Aunt Eller was the one who didn’t quite get this part of the scene right because she didn’t give herself really a chance to study the picture in the little ‘wonder’ before reacting and then asking how she could change it onto the next picture. Kansas City is one of those numbers that has always appealed to me and you brought a nice brightness to it and combined well with the chorus around you and the little individual bits such as doing the two-step with Aunt El1er. You showed the right sort of naivety as you showed the things you bought in Kansas City to Ali Hakim. I am not quite certain here about the girl who was left on stage as this conversation took place between the two of you. In one way it helped to dress the set but in another it was slightly distracting from the business which was going on between the two of you. There was nice sense of comic timing from you as you did the ‘who’s smart and who’s dumb"‘ line the wrong way round and created a good laugh. If the girl on stage as you sold your wares to Ali Halim had been a bit of distraction the two that came on while you were singing ‘All Er Nothin’ with Ado Annie certainly played their part extremely well playing up to you and giving Ado Annie due cause for a little bout of jealousy. You didn’t quite show the relish I would have thought you would have about Oklahoma to Gertie Cummings but you certainly did it well enough to ensure that Ado Annie had an excuse to set off in battle after her. You could image this Will being Ado Annie’s partner for life, you can imagine the small unimportant squabbles that would take place between them but that deep down there would be a love between them that would grow and remain throughout their entire lives. The Will Parker you created might never be voted as Brain of America but he was one of those nice men that all around would always like to have as a friend.

ALI HAKIM

Rather like the blue checks and bowler hat that you wore this characterisation was along in one respect the traditional lines that one would expect but at the same time not quite as bold and up front as is often the case. As you were trying to sell things for instance to Aunt Eller, Laurey and Ado Annie and produced those lovely fancy drawers, followed by the very prim and proper blue ones, you were the sort of person who would ingratiate yourself to the three women but not quite the slick quick talking salesman who earns his living by in a way being also just a bit of a con man. Because of this the gag with the garter a) trying to sell Aunt Eller the second one having given her the first and b) attempting to slip up her limb as she puts it didn’t quite come off. The slight underplaying of the character worked very well when it came to the scene with Andrew Carries, it allowed him to dominate you much more easily than is very often the case when Ali Halim has been set up as such a strong character in previous scenes. You played the scene in the Smoke House skilfully giving just that sort of type of feeling to your character so as though you were half trying to sell things, half listening but in the main you had your mind on other things, i.e. what was going to happen between you, Ado Annie and her Dad. You handled the entrance into ‘It’s a Scandal, it’s an Outrage’ extremely well which made me wonder what would have happened if you had been given a greater chance to show off your vocal skills. Some nice properties again put at your disposal when you were buying things from Will Parker, the corset, petticoat and hot water bag. Where you did lose out was in the lovely three day bellyache line which you understated and as a result it lost some of its effect and didn’t gain the sort of laugh that it ought to have. I have already mentioned the fact that it was a pity that you had to play the Persian Goodbye and the Oklahoma Hello scene with Ado Annie and Will Parker out front but it had to be I am afraid because of the facilities the hall offered. Both you and Will didn’t quite relish this scene as much as I would have liked to have you but at the same time it came over as a very pleasant if rather gentler humour than is usual. In some ways I think perhaps I have been a little unfair in my criticisms of the portrayal of this role. Over the period of years I have got so used to seeing it played very broadly that it took my by somewhat of a surprise to find it being played just that much more realistically. Doing it that way may not have raised quite as many raucous laughs as we are accustomed to from the character of Ali Hakim but it did give us a very nice character to which other characters could react easily and truthfully.

ANDREW CARNES

When you think of the serious themes there are in this show resulting in the death of Jud for instance the character of Andrew is really a bit of a throwback to a very much lighter style of presentation. He can easily, therefore, become a caricature rather than a character but not on this occasion I am glad to say. You looked good with that shotgun tucked under your arm when you made your first entrance and there was plenty of attack in the dialogue. Both Ado Annie and Ali Hakim had not cause to complain that they didn’t have a very definite character to respond to. You showed excellent comic timing with the line ‘Oh that would be alright’ in reply to All’s remarks about that if he married your daughter he would not be able to see her all that often. A slight delay before you delivered this line made it all the funnier. I wasn’t quite certain about the position you were in to deliver your solo lines in the ‘Farmer and the Cowman" but having said that your contribution to the number was very good. There were in fact some lovely reactions and little cameos going on throughout this particular number but the Director and Choreographer must take praise for this. The picture they created at the end of the number was extremely good. There could have been a little more resignation in your final reluctance to carry on bidding for Laurey’s basket. You seemed to give up a little too easily. After all you realised the situation as well as Aunt Eller did. You handled the trial well giving the impression that you were someone who knew that you had a certain position to uphold within the community. That little bit of pomposity gave the others the perfect opportunity to prick your dignity with their combined ‘not guilty’ verdict. You were certainly not guilty of very losing a nice character that you had drawn from the first entrance.

IKE SKIDMORE

Well turned out with a good bearing here was somebody we could pick up time and time throughout the different scenes. That is an advantage but at the same time of course it means that you can’t hide or go to sleep and fall out of character. Fortunately for all concerned you never looked as though you were liable to do this and made some telling interventions. Like Andrew you were a man who has a certain social standing within the community. After all it is to your place they come for the box social and you make sure that they know it’s your place with that fine sign stuck on the back of the barn. While on the subject of the box social a little thank you to Hakim for timing that three day bellyache line so well so that we could all enjoy it immensely. With such a distinctive looking character as yourself I wasn’t quite certain why you were left in part shadow on stage left for your solo line at the beginning of Oklahoma. I would have thought a more prominent position would have been in order for you at this time. As for the number itself ‘ Oklahoma’ naturally enough we wanted everybody on stage so it became a little full but then so did the sound as well with the great enthusiasm with which it was sung. But it wasn’t just a blanket sound that came over, there were some nice variations from one verse to the other, harmonies came out and of course it was all helped by beautiful accompaniment from the orchestra. Ike pulled his weight in this number as he did throughout the show in an unobtrusive but effective manner.

GERTIE CUMMINGS

When a character like this has to really rely on one thing a raucous laugh to attract attention it is very difficult to portray her as a real figure. The fact that you came on in a good strong colour, that lemon dress and the parasol which helped make you stand out from the rest of the girls, was a good thing to begin with. Because the physical picture we saw of you was so strong we expected something strong and broadly played to come from the character we were looking at. And we were not disappointed - you had the right sort of laugh and exaggerated delivery of dialogue to go with. You also had the skill to remember that you didn’t have to just laugh while we were looking at you but that such a laugh could be heard from a long way off and so quite rightly you took it offstage into the house and away into the distance. When you returned with Ali you were suitably triumphant rounding off a good portrait of a character that can very easily be a very damp squib indeed.

CORD ELAM

A dour local marshall who wants to play everything by the book can be a very dull figure indeed if you are not careful. There are not a great many places of course were you can actually expand the character and if you do you run the risk of losing the reality within him. We need this reality and this sense of a man who is determined to do things properly at the trial otherwise it becomes a complete farce. It also robs Aunt Eller of the chance of her big laugh by suggesting that you were having an affair with another woman. It is the fact that Cord is so straight and narrow minded that makes it funny when someone suggests that he would do such an outrageous thing. I would have been wrong, therefore, for you to have been so striking and easily identified as Ike Skidmore or so strongly presented a character as that of Andrew Carnes. You slipped quietly into the character always there but never trying to take centre stage until it was required in that trial scene. As such you were a definite asset to the whole proceedings.