Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a hard musical to produce in the modern age. It has some very tricky views on gender roles that seem to be endorsed in the 1954 film. Rachel Kavanaugh's sole change to justify these views is to make the brothers apologise after they abduct 6 girls. However, to concentrate on this problem is both taking the purpose of this frivolous musical far too serious and to neglect the true brilliance of this production. Five members of my family with ages ranging from 11 to 51 came to see this and everyone had the time of their lives. The youngest turned around after the show and exclaimed "THAT WAS AWESOME!!" whilst my dad is still humming 'Bless Your Beautiful Hide' and 'Wonderful Day' to an almost tedious extent. The beautiful Open Air Theatre provides a great and friendly atmosphere and the creative team have done a good job. Peter McKintosh has designed a clever set that slides out to create wonderful interior spaces yet also leaves space for Alistair David's astonishing choreography. The sound is tricky to get right in this outdoor space so Nick Lidster does well in his sound design. Alex Gaumond and Laura Pitt-Pulford are formidable in the lead roles of Adam and Milly. They both have some of the best voices in Music Theatre and their personalities and energy turn quite a twee musical into something that feels exiting and fun. The ensemble cast do some impressive chorus singing and show the power of dance in drama in a magnificent dance sequence as powerful as the sequence in West Side Story. A special mention to Sam O'Rourke's Gideon and Bethany Huckle's Alice who captivated my brother's attention and was the highlight of his evening with their cute, charming and heart-warmingly funny performance. What could have been a show that is ruined by it's hateful moral stance is in fact turned into a great evening of entertainment by some quality performances and direction.
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With sequel 'Go Set a Watchman' out in book shops, the time is perfect to revisit the much beloved gem of Harper Lee about life in the Deep South. This book, much like Ah Wilderness at the Young Vic, creates this warm, homely feeling yet achieved the impossible by addressing the issues of racism and naive childhood. This production captures this feeling and more. As well as telling Lee's story well, it captures the brilliance and beauty of reading. Watching this ensemble taking it in turn to read from the book, it reminded me of when my father used to read to me and the excitement that caused each evening. It explores the idea of how reading can create a picture in your mind and that, by switching between British and American accents, shows that you can be transported to a different world through books. Sheader's production uses a Brechtian style that, unlike Findlay's Merchant, is effective in creating this idea of an image being created through story telling. Jon Bausor's design strikes a balance between minimalistic and cheap very well and Phil King's music gives a nice atmosphere to the piece. The three actors playing Dill, Jem and Scout were extraordinary. For those children to be as talented as they are is brilliant to see. They steal the show with fully three dimensional characters and brilliant stage presence. They are surrounded by a capable ensemble who tell the story well. Robert Sean Leonard's Atticus is delightful to watch. This is probably the last image of Atticus I will have before it being altered by Lee's sequel and I was glad for it to be as faithful to the book as possible. Whilst I'm not sure the stage in no way beats the experience of reading this classic, it captures the heart and emotion of Lee's writing to create a fulfilling and wonderful experience.
