The Otter's Pool - Ady Gould -

It is going to be hard to be objective as a good friend of the composer, Dana P Rowe, but I will attempt to be honest about this show, and the recently released cast recording CD (October 1997).

Originally my partner and I visited the show on the stage in London, at the Donmar Theatre. The season was short, and many of the British Critics panned the show, mainly due to the fact that Cameron Macintosh was supporting these two "new" faces.

We went with open minds to see the show, and an expectant of being entertained. In my opinion we were not disappointed. The show was a whirlwind of subject material from death, family feuds, manipulation, cripples, drugs, sex, abuse, illegitimacy, and falling from grace.

The stars in the show did not disappoint, even with our first visit (during previews). John Barrowman, Christina Fry, Philip Quast, Krysten Cummings all excelled. I was hit by Krysten's voice, the sultry and mesmerising nature of it. John's powerful portrayal of a young man going through all the highs and lows of getting to be famous and powerful, and then crashing out through drug abuse.

John Barrowman's tale was superbly translated into a stage show with energy, lightness, and darkness in a mixture that had the audience on our preview night wanting to be involved in the show. In the number titled "Simple Words" the gospel nature of Dana P Rowe's tune had us clapping along "black gospel" style.

In the rather provocatively titled piece "I se the future" Dempsey has given us an insight to what could be his vision for this world. I was talking to friends on-line when I told them the words to some of the piece - "Disturbing ... but it brings in a brighter viewpoint later."

An excerpt goes: "I see the future, I see the path that we must try, I see tomorrow, I see us striving for the sky, I see us waking up one morning to song a song we've never sung, I see the future, I see the future, and I see it in the faces of the young".

I see this as a tremendous challenge to put our future in the hands of the young ones around us. If we do, then it could be the best thing we do.

The subject of drug abuse and the Mafia underlies the whole of the show, and it is superbly depicted as to it's insidious nature.

Vaudeville enters onto the stage in "Two Guys at Harvard" with the comic portrayal of the uncle's illness (played exceptionally by Philip Quast). Then the whole nature changed again to cover the subject of this same uncle's sexuality.

In "Child's Play" the realisation that Cal (John Barrowman) had hit maturity and was taking responsibility for himself hits home. Then his mistress lures him to his death in the sultry "Mistress of Deception" number. These two had me in tears at our second viewing of the show on its last night.

Overall the stage show was excellently produced, choreographed, lit, and presented to the audience. The low set stage that the audience directly interact with added to this, and allowed us to feel part of the show.

The CD release was anxiously awaited by myself, and I have generally not been disappointed by it. I would admit that the CD may have benefited by being recorded LIVE at a performance to add the extra atmosphere that the stage gave.

But the recordings of "I see the Future", "Child's Play", and "Mistress of Deception" have been completed with a lot of the feeling of the actual stage productions.

The opening number "One, Two, Three" lost a little in the CD recording, but it is still excellent.

We talked to people after our first visit to the show, and they were amazed by the dynamics of the show and were recommending it to their friends. They were amazed by the talent in Dempsey and Rowe, and congratulated them on tackling such material in a stage show, with so much "honesty". This was before they found out I knew Dana P Rowe.

On our second visit to the show, we discovered the majority of our block of 30 or so seats were occupied by people who had been to see the show at least twice before. One lady had been TWELVE times in the short season!

I convey my congratulations to Dempsey and Rowe on their excellent show, and CD. They have some brilliant gifts that should be nurtured by the audiences around the world. I believe that "The FIX" is currently going to stage in Washington (USA) shortly, and also to Sydney, Australia, sometime in 1998. I will aim to see it in Sydney as I loved the show that much. I wish I had seen "Zombie Prom" another of their productions, prior to the "off West End" introduction to the British theatre crowd.

These guys are gonna stay in my thoughts, and I look forward to their next production.

NEWS:

Dana and John are close to putting

"The Witches of Eastwick"

on stage for Cameron macIntosh in London...

The picture on the left was lifted from an advertising item I got when in London in January 2000. As for the Witches, I'll tell you more when I know!