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James Eaton plays one of the two leads and he is good. He has a voice that really does suit rock songs. James plays many instruments in the show including trumpet and guitar. Watch out for his rendition of Everybody Needs Somebody to Love at the end of the show. Also, look out for the car when James is the taxi driver!!!
The other lead is Peter Helmer, who still looks very nervous but I'm sure that he will overcome the nerves. It was nice to hear Peter do more singing than he did in Pump Boys and Dinettes.
Matt Devitt really does know how to work the audience and having never heard Matt sing before I can understand why he become a great hit as the first Cookie in Return to the Forbidden Planet. Matt is also a very good musician and has a great rapport with Julian Littman. As him and Julian are meant to be identical twins, Matt has dyed his hair black to look the same.
Julian Littman as MD has the unenviable task of holding all the music together as well as being one of the main characters and he manages this really well. The comedy between him and Matt, or between him and either Peter or James is timed to perfection. There is a very clever and funny part involving Julian, Matt and a mirror.
Loveday Smith has an amazing voice and is a fantastic trumpet player, and she also plays the Flugel Horn, which while similar to a trumpet, has a softer sound. She also has good comical timing and is a good little mover and she gets to show this off during several numbers. As in Pump Boys and Dinettes Loveday and Wendy have a great rapport with each other.
Wendy Parkin is Loveday's sister in the show, and watch out for Wendy's very funny rendition of Stand by your Man. Wendy's voice blends well with Loveday's, and she is playing an instrument I have never seen her play before, the drums. Her costume looks very elegant and really does suit her.
Georgina Field is someone I have never seen at Hornchurch before, although she has appeared there several times. Georgina does not have a principal part although she is a major part of the band and she is a very good musician. Her character does become more involved in the action during the second half.
James Earl Adair has the unenviable task of playing three parts as well as being part of the band, and has some lightening fast costume changes. As Dr Pinch he is very funny, watch out for his song and dance routine.
Phil Reed is the only character who does not have a solo song during the show but is a major character and is the lynch pin who helps tell the story and adds to the confusion by mixing the brothers up. For a change Phil is also playing a nasty character - there is no way you can feel sorry for him. Phil does not play much guitar tending to stick to the other instruments he can play, being keyboards and sax but not just alto sax like he normally plays, but a baritone, which is huge. Watch out for Dr Pinch and Stand by your Man song and dance routines.
When they are not being the characters they are playing, they become Nuns and Monks who play in the band and provide backing vocals.
A mention must also go to Kraig Thornber who choreographed the very funny dance routines throughout the show.
Bob, the cast and crew should be very proud of a fantastic Shakespeare production showing us that Shakespeare can be funny and not just stuffy and boring like you think it is at school.
Mark
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