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From YourSite.com Music & Drama
Beauty and the Beast
Andrew Carpenter (NODA representative for the South West) reports –
As new members of NODA this was my first ‘official’ visit to see Warminster School although I had been to see previous productions of theirs as a member of the public at the Merlin Theatre.
The overall impression given was first class with quality ringing out from all areas. The costumes were spectacular, the staging and scenery impressive and the orchestra, under the guidance of Brian Martineau, one of the true highlights of this wonderful production. It was hard, at times, to believe you were watching a youth production as the quality of performance was so high.
It would be inappropriate to single out too many individuals as this was very much a team performance, however I must make special mention of Ellie Taylor-Roberts as Belle. She shone throughout with delightful singing, quality acting and graceful movement. In fact her all round performance was superb and her ‘stage presence’ was there for all to appreciate. Playing opposite Ellie, Patrick James made a first class Beast with his song at the end of Act One, ‘If I can’t love her’, a highlight. Jack Cooper as Gaston gave a commanding performance. His singing voice was excellent with clear diction and pleasant tone. Matt Stone as Lefou was hilarious and another undoubted star of this production. His energy was infectious and he had the audience in the palm of his hand whenever he appeared. The relationship between these two was excellent and produced much of the comedy contained within this production.
Jasper Eeles as Lumiere gave a delightful performance and his leading of ‘Be our guest’ was another highlight of the show. Chris Stone as Cogsworth was ‘just right’ for the role and got every ounce of comedy out of it – well done. The part of Babette is a dream for any young actress and Sophie Morgan grasped it with both hands. Her acting and French accent was perfect throughout and her relationship with Lumiere was a joy to behold.
Alice Jesop really came into her own as Mrs Potts with her singing of ‘Beauty and the Beast’. This was beautifully performed and I congratulate her for this. Stuart Cullen as Maurice gave a controlled performance, it is not easy for a young person to take on the role of an elderly gentleman but Stuart did exceptionally well. Tash Eeles as Madame De La Grande Bouche and Ryan Lee as Chip made up a very impressive line-up of servants.
The part of Monsieur D’Arque is only a small one but if you get it right it really makes an impact and Alex Shad certainly did that with his ‘John Cleese’ style ‘silly’ walk and his menacing accent. I congratulate Alex on producing a first class cameo performance. The large cast of villagers and dining room cutlery & other utensils added greatly to this colourful production with their fine singing and accomplished movement.
Other positive comments I noted during the evening included my appreciation of the very amusing way in which the audience was asked to switch off mobile phones and not take photographs, the clever use of the gauze throughout and I particularly liked the fall of the petals, the use of pyrotechnics to emphasise the end of the ‘big’ numbers and the excellent transition from Beast to Prince.
In summary I congratulate Damian Todres, Brian Martineau, Matthew Stanway and Bea Partington for creating and producing a very impressive production of this Disney classic. I’m sure all students, staff and parents of Warminster School will be justifiably proud of what has been achieved and I congratulate all those involved.
Les Miserables
Well, they did it - and it was magnificent. Only ten weeks in which to
rehearse, a theatre some miles away from the School, and a cast of sixty, plus an 18-piece professional orchestra. Putting on the record-breaking musical, Les Miserables, as the school’s winter term production was never going to be an easy ride. In the end, Warminster packed the audiences in at the Merlin Theatre in Frome for five memorable performances from Wednesday to Saturday in late November.
For those few of you who haven’t experienced Les Miserables, the story is a thrilling one of love and redemption, played out against the chaos and violence of the student insurrection in 1832 Paris. Even
though this was the ‘school edition’ and slightly shorter than the original version, its powerful and haunting music makes considerable demands on young, inexperienced singers.
The sets and staging of Warminster’s production were superb. The massive walls with evocative slatted windows and the revolutionaries’ ‘barricade’ – a huge amazing revolving structure - were used to great effect as the drama moved to its climax on the streets of 19th century Paris.
Everyone in the cast sang with enormous commitment and maturity, and the audiences responded with wild applause and standing ovations at every performance. The big choral scenes – the tremendous opening scene of the Chain Gang, the roystering in the Inn, the whores of Montreuil to name just three - were acted with considerable verve, assurance and athleticism, and yet the musicality of the performance never faltered.
Chris Patterson took the enormously demanding role of Valjean, the haunted protagonist of the story who spends his life trying to put right the wrong doings of his youth. The part of the implacable Javert, who seeks to be Valjean’s nemesis, was played with feline subtlety by Jacob Cooper. Megan Seaman was the tragic Fantine and Susie Joyce gave a moving performance as the heartbroken Eponine who dies on the barricades. The quality of the leading performers’ singing was impressive; Jacob Cooper and Susie Joyce both deserving a special mention for their clarity of diction.
There were some memorable performances too from Blair Collins Thomas and Amber Kennedy as the repellent M and Mme Thenardier, Elliot Gross as the heroic revolutionary Enjolras, and Tommy Morgan as the cheeky street urchin, Gavroche (although one hears that Chris Cox was excellent too!)
Congratulations to the whole cast on a performance we will all remember with pride for a long time to come. Thanks and congratulations too must go to Producer and Musical Director Brian Martineau, Warminster’s tireless Director of Music, who conducted both cast and orchestra from the keyboards, and to Damian Todres , Annabel Hooper and Matthew Stanway who so skillfully directed this most ambitious of school productions.
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