Reviewed 8pm, Thursday 30th May, 2013
ARTS Theatre, Angas Street, Adelaide, South Australia
The Marie Clark Musical Theatre Company have chosen a show that is not often performed in Adelaide. The last time that I saw this show was in 1982, where I watched it every night from my place in the orchestra pit, and I have fond memories of that production. Happily, this group kept that memory alive and well, with a very fine performance.
Shepherd Mead (born Edward Mead IV) wrote a satirical book in 1952, lampooning the books being produced at that time offering ways to get ahead and for self-improvement, and that was the inspiration for this show, with a book by
Abe Burrows,
Jack Weinstock and
Willie Gilbert, and music and lyrics by the great
Frank Loesser. The show also satirises Mead's own career, rising from mail room clerk to vice president of an advertising company. The book was adapted as a play, but that never caught on, but the 1961 musical became a huge hit, becoming a film in 1967 with
Robert Morse in the lead role, recreating his earlier stage performance.
J. Pierrepont Finch is a window cleaner with an outsize ambition; to follow the steps in the book that he has bought on how to find a job and rapidly rise through the ranks to a senior position. The World Wide Wicket Company seems to be just what he is looking for, and his journey begins. His arch enemy is Bud Frump, the lazy nephew of the president of the company, J. B. Biggley. A pretty, young secretary, Rosemary Pilkington falls for him at first sight, and he falls for her, although initially he tries to distance himself in order to focus on his plans for advancement. She becomes his supporter and helper in his quest. Many complications and strokes of luck, as well as a lot of conniving, keep the laughs flowing as his attempts to climb the corporate ladder unfold.
Buddy Dawson plays Finch, and neatly treads that fine line between being thoroughly unpleasant as a back-stabbing corporate snake in the grass, and endearing as a loveable rogue, staying on the right side through his use of good comic timing and a rather cheeky approach to the role. He injects plenty of energy and enthusiasm into his performance and carries the audience along with him on his hilarious rise.
As Rosemary, Rachel Da Graca Costa is delightful, filling the character with charm as, with her feminine wiles negating the need for any step by step instruction book, she goes after her goal; marriage to Finch and a home in new Rochelle filled with children. Yes, this show is dated and feminists might grumble, but they'll still join in on the laughs.
Chris Daniels is the Frump you'll love to hate, presenting a whining mummy's boy who expects the world to come to him simply because he is the boss's nephew. Daniels has all the right facial expressions to convey every short-lived success that is then foiled as his dastardly plans are thwarted by Finch and fate.
Stalwart member of the Adelaide musical theatre scene, Max Rayner, takes the role of henpecked philanderer, J. B. Biggley, offering another in a long line of high quality performances. His vast experience shows, in a highly polished performance.
Rachel Dow plays Biggley's mistress, the physically well-endowed, but rather dim, Hedy Larue. Dow makes the most of every moment that she has on stage, by turns flirtatious, devious, and independent, making good use of her scenes with Rayner, as she twists him, believably, around her little finger. These two have a good rapport as the secretive lovers.
There were no weak links in the minor roles or the chorus either, with first time director, Ben Stefanoff, musical director, Emma Knights, and choreographer, Ali Walsh combining their skills to bring out strong performances, great harmonies and effective dance routines that suited the period well. Vanessa Redmond also deserves mention for choreographing the well-executed tap routine.
There were some intonation problems in the brass section, a common problem in amateur productions, and a few technical errors, with follow spots cutting off the top of a head, or forgetting to follow at times, as well as remaining on after the curtain had fallen, but the only really serious one, that any audience member would have noticed, was a microphone that did not work. None of this really detracted from the performance, however, but it is worth mentioning as feedback for points to watch in future productions.
All in all, the performance was an audience pleaser, with plenty of laughs, energetic dance, and great music, including two popular songs that were recorded by a number of famous singers:
Brotherhood of Man and
I Believe in You.
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