1993
The Boy Friend
"Spiffing"
Review The Advertiser 2 March 1993
Peter GOERS
The Northern Light Theatre Company's production of Sandy Wilson's musical The Boy Friend at the Shedley theatre is spiffing.
Wilson's 40-year-old pastiche of a 1920's musical proves that brevity can be the soul of musical comedy in three 30 minute acts.
Choreographer and soubrette Sue Pole makes an impressive directorial debut with this guile - less, charming, slick, snappy songfest with its gossamer thin boy meets girl plot.
The set designs by Alan Taylor are eccentric.
The divine Kerri Seager is sweetness personified as a lilac fairy of a Polly and is reminiscent of Jan Andrew at her best.
The titian-haired Ellyanne Musolino shows star quality as the delightful madcap Maisie and Rodney Hutton - Adelaide archetypal juvenile lead who has never given a bad performance, steals the show as Tony - the archetypal juvenile lead.
Alan Taylor, Lynda Taylor, Fran Edwards and Jeff Lang add to the fun as the dean of Adelaide critics, Harold Tideman who celebrated his 87th birthday last Friday, is apt to say.
Rodney Hutton and Kerri Seager as Tony and Polly
Ellyanne Musolino and Mark Gulliford ad Maisie and Bobby
Robb Hassett and Ceri Hutton as Alfonse and Dulcie.
"Love blooms in a winning show"
Review Messenger Press 3 March 1993
Raechel CARROLL
Girl meets boy, girl loses buy, girl gets boy back - in time for a happy ending.
That sums up The Boy Friend, Sandy Wilson's bright and bubbly 1920's musical. And Northern Light Theatre Company makes it a winner at the Shedley Theatre.
Sue Pole marshals an excellent cast for her directorial debut. As both choreographer and director she brings out the best in the ensemble.
Kerri Seager and Rodney Hutton make a delightful leading couple in their best pairing yet.
Seager as a millionaire's daughter Polly Browne, is sweet and brings a gentle innocence to the part. Hutton, as Tony, who captures her heart, is very much the dashing young man.
Ellyanne Musolino as the bubbly Maisie, Polly's best friend, gives a standout performance. She shows star potential.
But, surprisingly, Mark Gulliford lacks focus in the role of Maisie's boyfriend Bobby van Husen.
Lynda Taylor is a picture of elegance as Madame Dubonnet, but her speech tends to sit in the high register, which makes it difficult to understand her dialogue at times.
As Hortense, Alison Kimber makes a pert and cheeky French maid but needs some work on her singing. Her big number 'Its Nicer in Nice' is forgettable.
As the flirtatious Dulcie, Ceri Hutton comes out of her shell to give her best ever performance. And Vaughan Harmer makes a wonderful lecher as Lord Brockhurst.
Hutton and Harmer's cheeky duet, Its Never Too Late Too Fall in Love, is a highlight. Good work also comes from Alan Taylor, as Polly's father Percival Brown, Jeff Lang, Paul heath and Robb Hassett as the other boyfriends. And Sheryl Hargreaves and Kylie Pedler as the other girlfriends.
The musical ensemble, under the baton of musical director Vicki McGregor, sounds thin and muffled. The costuming throughout is stunning.
The Boy Friend is playing until March 13.
Half a Sixpence
"Title to come"
Review details to come
Anything Goes
"Anything Glows for Northern Light"
Review Messenger Press 27 Oct 1993
Matt BYRNE
When you've got the immortal music and lyrics of Cole Porter, a cruise full of crazy characters, top deck tapping and no plot, then you have all the ingredients for an enjoyable night out.
And Northern Light Theatre Company's production of Anything Goes - running at the Shedley for the next two weekends - is just the ticket to sail through the recession.
Director Alan Taylor directs and designs a shipshape evening out that ranks among the company's better offerings in recent years.
New musical director Ian Gale heads a slick outfit in the pit, although the orchestra tended to drown out some of the singing and some singers lacked projection.
Choreographer Sue Pole works wonders with the ensemble in the big production numbers and the tapping is a crowd pleaser.
The costumes by Fran Edwards and company are stunning.
Taylor has assembled a string cast of company regulars to faithfully reproduce this 1934 theatrical flotsam that still "jetsam" in the aisles.
Rodney Hutton (left) starred as Billy Crocker
Star turn for the night is ever improving Rodney Hutton, whose bustling, hustling stockbroker Billy Crocker keeps the thin story line moving.
His crooning has the women swooning and his versatile acting - through a succession of Chinese and other disguises - makes the most of this "prum" role.
Lynda Taylor makes a "flair" fist of the evangelist turned night club entertainer Reno Sweeney showing strong stage presence.
Her and Hutton's 'You're the Top' duet was one of the musical highlights.
Take Me Back to Manhattan was also a treat, but Blow Gabriel Blow, could have used less stair climbing and more volume.
Brian Godfrey plunders plenty of laughs as the hoofs and zounds English pratt Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, and Vaughan Harmer hams it to the bone as Public Enemy No 13, Moonface Martin.
They receive strong support from Kerri Seager as the adorable Hope, looking and singing a million dollars in All Through The Night with Hutton, and Sue Pole gets the poop deck heavenly hopping as Moonie's Betty Booped-up moll Bonnie.
The other major highlight of the show is the performance of one of Reno Sweeney's "Angels", Kylie Pedler.
She lights up the chorus line with her face, figure and finesse to the max - if you could bottle what this kid has you could make any show shine!
And David Winston, John Sharpe, Jan Petersen and Andrea Walker-Roberts put plenty of character into their parts.
Although this production could do with a little more tightening - Act I is long - I certainly enjoyed it far more than the allegedly professional one that sank without trace at the Festival Theatre last year.