This Can't be Love

"Revue is 'entertainment-plus'"
Review The Messenger Press 27 April 1994,
Nick CARROLL

Northern Light Theatre Company is showing there's a big audience for light entertainment at the Shedley Theatre.

The musical company had the place almost packed on the opening night of This Can't Be Love and the show's a treat.

A fast-moving revue on the theme of love and relationships, it features songs from the 1920's through to the 90's with singing, dancing and comedy.

This Can't Be Love is entertainment-plus.

It's full of great English Music hall humour delivered by a bright youthful cast.

Strong talent is everywhere - on stage, in the pit and behind the scenes.

The premise of this revue is that love is not all hearts and roses. It takes a wry look at some of the more humorous aspects of romance.

But there's room for some serious sentiment as well, such as 16 going on 17, Send in the Clowns, Somewhere Out There and Unchained Melody.

And one of Shakespeare's sonnets is thrown in for good measure.

I must be showing my youth because unless the jokes are written by the cast and crew, they are all new to me - and the punch lines all raise a chuckle.

The smooth and likeable MC Phil Lamb gives some gently amusing patter from the sidelines and elsewhere takes the spotlight for such romantic classics as Love Changes Everything. He only needs to be miked for his bridging work.

Taking singing honours are Linda Brooks, Charissa McCluskey and Lesley Main.

An a capella version of 'In the Still of The Night' featuring the entire male cast with Dave Winston doing the bass line, is alone worth the price of admission.

A better band I have not heard and the teaming of musical director Steve Vallen and Mike Pitman in the pit works wonders.

Steve plays guitar and Mike keyboards and their rendition of a soaring electric guitar number by Santana to accompany some lovely dancing is exhilarating.

The show is peppered with choreography by Kerreane Wilkinson, who has taken no shorts cuts in drilling the cast. And Kerreane talented young students are featured throughout.

Final performances are at 8pm this Friday and Saturday April 29 and 30.

Nick Carroll

Charlie Girl

"Charlie's an angel"
Review The Advertiser 26 July 1994
Peter GOERS

Accept no substitutes; Charlie Girl is a hit. Last Saturday night's capacity audience screamed for more of this nifty Northern Light Theatre Company production at Elizabeth's Shedley Theatre.

Charlie Girl is that rare thing - a really good British musical. It opened in 1965 as a vehicle for that unique English star Dame Anna Neagle, who played it everywhere, including the first Australian production opposite Johnny Farnham.

It's a much better show than I recall, with some genuine gems among the tuneful score and solid laughs all round. Lady Charlotte (Charlie) is a tomboy Cinderella of a Stately Home. One of the help (poor but honest) loves her. Meanwhile, many of the idiocies of the idle rich are parlayed with taste.

David Winston's production could take some judicious cutting but otherwise it is smooth, jolly, well oiled, fresh, funny and fine. Matthew Barrowman's musical direction and his brilliant orchestra could barely be better.

In Dame Anna's role, the marvellous musical comedienne Carolyn Mesecke remakes the role into her very daffy own. Ellyane Musolono is Adelaide's best ingénue and she is heart-meltingly good as Charlie. Nick Setchell is a natural charmer as her love interest, and Vaughan Harmer cleverly underplays the drollery of a silly ass.

If you live within cooee of Elizabeth, you owe it to yourself and the Shedley to see this wonderful production.

Ellyanne Musolino in the title role.

David Winston's production could take some judicious cutting but otherwise it is smooth, jolly, well oiled, fresh, funny and fine. Matthew Barrowman's musical direction and his brilliant orchestra could barely be better.

In Dame Anna's role, the marvellous musical comedienne Carolyn Mesecke remakes the role into her very daffy own. Ellyane Musolono is Adelaide's best ingénue and she is heart-meltingly good as Charlie. Nick Setchell is a natural charmer as her love interest, and Vaughan Harmer cleverly underplays the drollery of a silly ass.

If you live within cooee of Elizabeth, you owe it to yourself and the Shedley to see this wonderful production.

Cast and Chorus

Carolyn Mesceke and Jan Petersen

Vaughan Harmer and Nick Setchell

Grease 

"Super Cool Grease a hot hit at Shedley"
Messenger Review
Nick CARROLL

The joyous '50s have returned with a hand jiving, hot-rodding, rock'n'rolling gusto to the Shedley Theatre at Elizabeth.

Northern Light Theatre Company's production of Grease whips everyone along with its enthusiasm, vitality and sheer trail-blazing talent.

The dazzling David Atkins production of 1992 at the Festival Theatre has left an obvious mark on director Matthew Byrne.

He's taken good ideas from that show, and the 1978 movie version, and thrown in some surprise gags of his own.

He's brought the band out of the pit, and thrown in the extra hit songs from the film - 'Hopelessly Devoted to You', and 'You're the One That I Want'.

And, from who knows where, he's gathered a crackerjack cast and chorus that you'd easily mistake for professionals.

We've seen leading men Rodney Hutton and Jeff Lang (Danny and Kenickie) on the Shedley stage before but now, for slick polish and timing, these guys are cool!

Hutton's Danny (remember John Travolta in the movie?) is paired with blonde surprise package, Lee-Anne Allenby, who makes the transformation from a Sandra Dee to sultry Sandy.

As the risky Rizzo, Helen Geoffries is dynamite comparisons with Stockard Channing aside.

And it'd be hard to find Rydell High's pink ladies so dynamically diverse as in Karen Sheldon (Jan), Sue Pole (Frenchy) and Alison Jarman (Patty).

Musical director Tania Butterfield leads a tight, tuneful band and Sue Pole's concise choreography goes a long way.

Grease is both a parody and a celebration of teenage in the '50s. For a show that's over 20 years young, it's remarkably fresh and vital.

The season continues until October 12, and an extra performance has been scheduled at 8pm on Thursday, October 10.

LeeAnne Allenby and Rodney Hutton as
Sandy and Danny

Grease: “a crackerjack cast and chorus that you'd easily mistake for professionals”