Leamington and Warwick Musical Society


Annie Get Your Gun ON a cold April night, there are few better ways to warm the cockles than this zesty old-school musical. Annie Get Your Gun by Irving Berlin was one of the classic Broadway musicals of the 1940s and tells the tale of sharpshooter Annie Oakley and her romance with rival Frank Butler. Leamington & Warwick Musical Society are putting on the new version, directed by Stephen Duckham, which is wonderfully sharp, upbeat and uplifting. All the cast are fantastic but Kate Squires shines as Annie and has a real onstage chemistry with Co-star Michael Coad, who captures Frank’s dashing charm and energy to perfection. In the first act, the cheerful number Doin’ What Comes Natur’lly, which Squires sings with three young cast members, stood out, as did slow song Moonshine Lullaby, sung by male cast members. In the second act, memorable songs were An Old Fashioned Wedding and Anything You Can Do, sung during a competition between Annie and Frank to determine who is the best at shooting. With colourful sets and costumes, lively choreography and memorable performances, this is vibrant theatre at its best. Worth watching.

The King and I 17th - 21st April 2007 They do say you should never work with animals or children but thankfully the latter proved unfounded as the Leamington and Warwick Musical Society delivered their impressive version of The King and I. The King of Siam's many offspring scuttled across the beautifully designed stage in front of a packed house on Tuesday night as the audience was transported back to the 19th century. Leading the strong and able cast through the trials and tribulations of his kingdom was Roy Donoghue in the role of the king. The actor switched with ease in his display of the sovereign’s many sides from defiance to sensitivity as he broadened his horizons with the help of Anna (Vicki Hollings). Hollings also delivered an impressive performance as the king’s governess from the west – providing credible emotional and comedic performances in equal measure. A humorous sketch, which involved the king demanding that Anna’s head be lower than his at all times proved popular with the audience – as, particularly in heels, Hollings towered above Donoghue. The leading pair were supported by an array of royal wives and children, Amazons, slaves, guards and priests, which made for a delightful spectacle. Special mention must be made of the scenery for the show – simple, yet effective, the sets provided backdrops as diverse as the royal palace and the forest at night. The costumes were also amazing – multiple changes for the principles and a colourful collection of outfits for those supporting. Both the scenery and costumes added to the overall feel of the show. Strong acting and singing performances combined with impressive costumes and setting resulted in a good night of family entertainment.

The Full Monty 16th-20th January 2007 LWMS scored another resounding success with the stage musical based on the phenomenal British comedy film. All the characters, the laughter and the tenderness of the film the whole world fell in love with comes to life in this triumphant stage musical. "Heart, humour & terrific songs, The Full Monty is a wonderfully welcome reminder of musical comedy at its best". The Daily Telegraph

Summer Holiday Leamington and Warwickshire Musical Society's Summer Holiday at the Spa Centre, April 5 to April 8 2006 A red double-decker London transport bus ventured out of the capital to make a guest appearance in the Leamington and Warwick Musical Society's pleasing adaptation of Summer Holiday at the Spa Centre. Catchy songs including, of course, Summer Holiday, Bachelor Boy and The Young Ones proved popular with the audience - many of whom were singing and some even got off their seats - be it with a little persuasion from members of the cast. A fun-filled performance - thoroughly recommended. 8/10 Review by Emma Stone

Crazy For you Review by Ray and Marianne Howes, of the Courier newspaper, on April 8th 2006 The opening night of Crazy for You was another fine production by the Leamington and Warwick Musical Society and was a great success. The music was written by George and Ira Gerswhin over 70 years ago and many of the tunes - Embraceable You, I Got Rhythm, Someone To Watch Over Me - were well known to us. This together with a good storyline produced a musical of high quality. The two leading roles were played by Ken Robinson aas Bobby Child and Sue Randall as Polly Baker. Their all round performances were outstanding, their acting, singing and dancing were top quality and they were well supported by the remainder of the cast, particularly Steve Smith as Bella Zander, Alec Brown as Lank Hawkins and Tabitha Bradburn as Bobby's fiancee Irena. Wendy Morris and Trevor McClay provided some hilarious moments as Patricia and Eugene Fodor, a very 'English' couple who turn up in Dreadrock to review Lank's saloon. The show contained some exceptional dance routines, particularly the tap dancing, and was supported by a first class orchestra, lighting and sound. Praise should be given to Stephen Duckham, the director, Richard Taggart, musical director, and Wendy McClay, choreographer. If you enjoy a good musical, with plenty of tap routines, then this is the show for you. It is a production not to be missed. 9/10 Review by Annette Kinsella High energy, toetapping feel-good fun with more twists than spaghetti junction - that's Crazy For You. The Gershwin-composed musical, based on the traditonal guy-meets-girl, guy-loses-girl, guy-gets-girl-back formula, was performed by a cast of talented all-rounders which would have put many professional companies to shame. The entire ensemble was note and step-perfect throughout the show, despite staging some incredibly intricate routines. The plot, revolving around mistaken identities, slapstick and people who burst into song at the drop of a hat, was pure schmaltz. But the larger-than-life numbers and extraordinary choreography injected sparkle into what could have been a predictable story. Nimble-toed Kenny Robinson, as male lead Bobby Childs, wowed with his footwork, while Sue Randall provided the perfect foil as country girl Polly. However the unsung heroes were undoubtedly the backstage technicians, who created an ingenious set in which backdrops moved seamlessly during the song and dance routines without the audience even noticing. Overall a slick and polished production - you'd be crazy to miss it.

Jesus Christ Superstar LWMS presented this barrier-breaking musical in April 2004, following it's outstanding hit, Copacabana. Jesus Christ Superstar was a blockbuster success, with some of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's finest songs, including 'Gethsemene', 'Superstar' and 'I Don't Know How to Love Him'. A strong cast and a cracking story of the last seven days of Jesus of Nazareth, as seen through the eyes of Judas, helped make this one of the society's most popular productions.