2017 Curtains

MUSIC BY
John Kander

LYRICS BY
Fred Ebb

ADDITIONAL LYRICS BY
Kander and Holmes

BOOK BY
Rupert Holmes

Here are a selection of photos from the show, thanks to our photographer Andy Carter from "Photos with Style" for taking photos at the dress rehearsal and to Charlotte Thompson for the Promotional and Rehearsal photos.

 

"Great fun, well done ELOC."

"Not seen this show before, glad I did!"

"Another professional performance."

 

EPSOM PLAYHOUSE
Autumn 2017

Robbin' Hood of the Old West, a bad Western adaptation of the Robin Hood story is reaching its conclusion. The shockingly untalented leading lady, Jessica Cranshaw is a triple threat: she can't sing, act, or dance (or remember when to say her lines). To the relief of everyone, she is murdered during her opening night curtain call. The entire company comes under suspicion, and Lt. Frank Cioffi of the Boston Police Department is called in to solve the homicide. Believing that the perpetrator is still in the building, he sequesters it.

The suspects include the hard-bitten lady producer, Carmen Bernstein; her husband, Sidney; the show's flamboyant director Christopher Belling; divorced songwriting team Aaron Fox and Georgia Hendricks; stage manager Johnny Harmon; choreographer/leading man Bobby Pepper, ingénue Niki Harris, and ambitious chorine Bambi Bernét.

The company use its spare time to attempt to fix the show's problems. Niki, Ms. Cranshaw's understudy, is passed up for the leading role in favour of Georgia, who is encouraged to take the role despite the protests of Aaron, who has fallen in love with her again. Cioffi, a theatre fan and amateur actor, becomes more involved with saving the show than solving the case. Cioffi finds himself falling for Niki, and she seems to return his affection, so he hopes she's not the murderer. Meanwhile, secrets are surfacing, the production numbers in Robbin' Hood are rewritten, rehearsed and rewritten again, and the body count is rising. Can Cioffi solve the case, save the show, and get the girl before the curtain rises without getting offed himself? This is a musical, after all!

CAST

Lieutenant Frank Cioffi - Didrik Finne
Niki Harris - Emily Evans
Georgia Hendricks - Rachel Yelland
Carmen Bernstein - Julie Parker
Aaron Fox - Stephen Chalkley
Sidney Bernstein - Chris Evans
Christopher Belling - Dilip Patel
Bambi Bernét - Hannah Wade
Daryl Grady - Rick Qureshi
Oscar Shapiro - Paul Hyde
Bobby Pepper - Dan Crego-Bustelo
Jessica Cranshaw - Charlie Hoddell
Johnny Harmon - Chris Haslett
Randy - Paul Featherstone
Harv - Max Marchesi
O'Farrell - Charlie Blencowe
Roberta - Sandra Zeffman
Sasha - Francis Griffin

Ensemble
Alex Churcher, Anthony Black, Charlie Blencowe, Ellie Wade, Jane Platts, Jill Howlett, Karen Wilson, Krystyna Szafranski, Lian Finne, Louise Laithwaite, Sandra Zeffman, Simon Ferrier

CREATIVES

DIRECTOR
John Harries-Rees

MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Francis Griffin

CHOREOGRAPHER
Helen Pennicard

NODA REVIEW
Jon Fox

A musical whodunnit and play within a play is hardly an everyday production. ELOC made a brave choice in choosing a musical of this type, so little previously known to many theatre patrons. Wisely though, in the vastly experienced director John Harries-Rees, ELOC had a bank of England guarantee of a visionary and highly successful production.

The large and deep stage at Epsom Playhouse was left largely free of cumbersome stage furniture, leaving ample space for this gaily costumed show to showcase its many fine dancers, mainly female, as ever in amateur operatics. Though it must also be said that the male dancing chorus also acquitted themselves rather well. Two tall platforms on wheels were used to much good effect at various times.

The plot, briefly, concerns a theatre company's poor adaptation of Robin Hood, entitled "Robbin Hood of the Old West" and thus a western style set with cast in western cowboy outfits - when the hopelessly untalented leading lady is murdered during the opening night curtain calls. Consternation as to who murdered her immediately breaks out, despite all the cast being glad to be rid of her as the "leading lady" in Robbin Hood Lieutenant Frank Cioffi (the Curtains lead player) from Boston police Dept. takes charge of the investigation.

However, he is himself stagestruck and becomes personally enamoured both with Niki Harris, a young principal and the show itself, rather than unmasking the murder. Most of the show's principal players are under suspicion and more murders occur through the production. All ends happily, except for the murderer, Daryl Grady, a reporter who was in the theatre that night to review the show.

This was a fast paced production to relish and the many scenes ran seamlessly one to another with talented performances aplenty. Didrik Finne in the role of Lieutenant Frank Cioffi was excellent. His vulnerability to love and his passion for the stage made his character likeable and human and he used his enormous stage presence to wonderful effect (definite shades of Colombo in this role). Emily Evans as Niki gave a sterling performance opposite him too, enabling one to forget the disparity in their ages in their burgeoning love relationship.

Other special performances were given by Chris Evans as Sidney Bernstein. and Julie Parker as his stage wife and shows producer, Carmen Bernstein. Chris had a magnetic quality on stage, attracting every eye and I felt somewhat cheated when his character was hanged - which was chillingly well staged in Act 1 finale. Carmen Bernstein, was played with special world weary nuanced skill by Julie Parker - a consummate performer to her fingertips.

Stephen Chalkley showed his lovely tenor voice and acted to fine effect too as Aaron Fox, a divorced songwriter still working with his ex, Georgina Hendricks, very well portrayed by Rachel Yelland. Dilip Patel as the flamboyant show director Christopher Belling gave true individual style in an excellent performance.

Hannah Wade as pushy Bambi (Elaine) Bernét, the producer's daughter, being overlooked, distinctly caught the eye in this difficult role to play. Dan Crego-Bustelo gave much life and presence to his character, Bobby Pepper, as did the villainous reporter / journalist Daryl Grady, played with panache by Rick Qureshi. I really felt sorry for poor Charlie Hoddell singing and acting so "awfully" well as Jessica Cranshaw and meeting her untimely end far too early in the play for one so talented. "Cringemakingly delightful" I wrote in my notes.

Paul Hyde did really well as Oscar Shapiro, the show's worldly wise financial backer, really getting inside this hard bitten character.

Chris Haslett was the authentically fretful stage manager Johnny Harmon. Randy and Harv were played by Paul Featherstone and Max Marchesi respectively with skill. Other small roles all played effectively were given by Charlie Blencowe (O'Farrell), Sandra Zeffman (Roberta) and Francis Griffin
(Sasha).

Musical Director Francis had a solo song "The Man is Dead" sung from the orchestra pit where he also led his sterling nine piece band with assurance and polish. The written music for this show, though not of outstanding merit, was performed with emotion and even a certain panache too, in many cases. I particularly liked the following: "Thinking of Him", "Show People", "I Miss The Music", It's a Business", "Thinking of Missing The Music" and "In the Same Boat".

Choreographer Helen Pennicard 's dance routines were well rehearsed, slick and of good standard.

Authentic western costumes and the colourful shirts worn by the dancers really caught the eye. Costumes were of high standard, though I have a gripe, in that many of the men's trousers were notably too long, except in the fine cowboy scenes, where they were fine. Elizabeth Callow was co-ordinator and supplier, assisted by Lucy vVnables.

What particularly impressed me was how professional a feel the show had, with a real pace and reality to most of the characters, especially considering the tangled plot. Director John Harries-Rees had his artistic strings all across the show like a true puppet master, beautifully untangling the complicated plot. With great use of atmosphere, lighting and sound by Simon Banks, assisted by his LX team and Stuart Vaughan on sound assisted by Jacky Cook, the sinister murders were given the utmost effect on the cast and - as I can certainly vouch - the audience as well. His players, not least the assured ensemble work, did him proud and what they all created was a show of which they will justifiably feel proud.