☆★★★★ Salad Days
An older lady turned to me just before Salad Days was about to
start at the beautiful theatre in Richmond and asked if I had seen the show
before? Sadly I hadn’t which didn’t stop her from reminiscing about the first
time she saw it back in the mid-1950s, and even humming some of the tunes and
also guaranteeing I would love it.
Salad Days premiered in the UK at the Theatre Royal, Bristol in
June 1954, and transferred to the Vaudeville Theatre in London in August 1954,
running for 2,283 performances. This is a new production that premiered last
year at Sasha Regan’s wonderful Union Theatre and is now on a national tour,
again under her auspices.
As for the story, ‘it’s the light-hearted tale of recent
graduates Timothy and Jane, who, unhappy with their pushy parents to find a
job, decide to take on the responsibility of looking after a piano in a park!
Little are they prepared to deal with the magic and madness that follows’. And
make no mistake chaps, there is magic and madness in glorious abundance in this
charmingly stylish, witty, and bonkers – in the most positive way - production.
Mike Lees has designed a beautifully simple, yet elegant set
that exquisitely conveys the period and also encloses the small but terribly
effective band under the direction of Dan Smith, who not only plays but is a
crucial part of the ensemble.
Wendi Peters leads the jolly company with great enthusiasm,
always with great verve, a serious spring in her step and a joyous twinkle in
her eye. In the role of Timothy was
Lewis McBean who was clipped perfection and Jessica Croll as Jane was the
embodiment of an ingenue, endearingly innocent and wholesome but with a
charming voice and enormous vitality and style.
I must also mention a couple of other members of the ensemble.
Callum Evans as Troppo was seriously flexible as the silent clown and quite
mesmerising to watch, and Bradley Judge as Monsieur Gusset, the couturier was
camp perfection.
Serious praise must also be lavished on Bryan Hodgson, who
directs the entire piece with assured aplomb and a particular affection for the
period. Having seen his tremendous production of Twang!! earlier this year, he
is a director of musical theatre that has an inherent understanding of the
genre and is undoubtedly a talent to watch.
So as the curtain came down, my older neighbour grinned, smiled
and said, ‘that was great fun, and I’m personally nostalgic for a time when gay
meant happy!’ There really is not much more to say?
I miss those healthy days.
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