November 19, 2003

Caitlin Wilcox (9 ¾) reviews Pirton Players recent production (Caitlin is Penny & Ed Pickens Granddaughter):

I’ve read the story, so I knew the story line. I think that the right people were picked to play the right parts; Bill Sykes was very good with all his black shaggy hair, and his bent hat. Fagin and the Artful Dodger were good, and the costumes were amazing! They were really linked to the time it was set in. The scenery was fabulous; it fitted in with everything! I thought Dodger was funny and Fagin was almost strange, the way he craved for his little box.

Sykes was very scary. Especially the London Bridge bit. The bluefish lights made it look really spooky. And when Bill Sykes came out from under the stairs, he had a very evil expression, like he meant business.

Nancy was very good at her parts, she was the right sort of person, right everything for that part. And I liked the way that, even though in the original story by Charles Dickens Sykes accidentally strangles himself and Nancy gets shot, you switched them round so that it kept to the theme of the original.

Mr Brownlow was very kind-hearted and the man playing him was brilliant! He even for a moment made me think he was Mr Brownlow! All of the music to the play was absolutely fantastic!! All of the songs were great, but my favourite was the one they sang in the pub, just before Sykes came in. I liked it because it was jolly, bright and bouncy. I thought all the songs fitted into the bit they were in.

Everyone acted amazingly!! It was all so real as if it was happening in front of me! Everyone was so enthusiastic; it made the play so exciting, you had to watch it! It was all very magical. And the atmosphere was brilliant!! So focussed, but enjoying every second of it!! It was all very tense, what will happen because of this and that. It was all very exciting and thrilling. It was fabulous.

I loved the way everyone spoke in the right accent and pitch of voice, high enough or low enough for their character. I loved all the costumes, not all boring with splashes of colour everywhere. I loved the lighting and the sounds and everything. The speech was great, the songs were brilliant! I think everyone was acting so well they could have been professionals!

Director  -  Anton Jungreuthmayer
Musical Director - Margaret Johnson
Producer  -  Neil Shearer

Cast
Bill Sykes  -  Dennis Sexton
Charlotte  -  Vicki Cumberland
Chorus  -  Dave Tinney
Chorus  -  Viv Tyler
Chorus  -  Ruth Smith
Chorus  -  Lorna Sexton
Chorus  -  Jill Rogers
Chorus  -  Sue Kennedy
Chorus  -  Peter Johnson
Chorus  -  Su Hayes
Chorus  -  John Hayes
Chorus  -  Hilda Handscombe
Chorus  -  Valmai Guess
Chorus  -  Gena Edwards
Chorus  -  Janet Tackley
Chorus  -  Julie Dawson
Dr Grimwig  -  Dudley Gentle
Fagin  -  Paul Kerswill
Knife Grinder  -  Graham Gibbs
Lackey  -  Hilda Handscombe
Lackey  -  Maxine Shearer
Long Song Seller  -  Rosie Eccles
Milkmaid  -  Sophie Davies
Mr Brownlow  -  Rodney Hampson
Mr Bumble  -  Peter Johnson
Mr Sowerberry  -  Graham Gibbs
Mrs Bedwin  -  Sue Kennedy
Mrs Corney  -  Valmai Guess
Mrs Sowerberry  -  Janet Tackley
Nancy  -  Susie Warwicker
Noah Claypole  -  Jude Kerswill
Old Sal  -  Gena Edwards
Oliver Twist  -  Cameron Warwicker
Orphan  -  Molly Kerswill
Orphan  -  Jude Kerswill
Orphan  -  Lottie Jungreuthmayer
Orphan  -  Kaffe Jungreuthmayer
Orphan  -  Katherine Insull
Orphan  -  Lydia Embleton
Orphan  -  Georgina Embleton
Orphan  -  Daniel Eccles
Orphan  -  Eleanor Dawson
Orphan  -  Vicki Cumberland
Orphan  -  Kaitlin Warwicker
Orphan  -  Dominique Alexander
Orphan  -  Alasdair Warwicker
Orphan  -  Joelle Sweatman
Orphan  -  Alice Trost
Policeman  -  Dudley Gentle
Policeman  -  Graham Gibbs
Rose Seller  -  Maxine Shearer
Strawberry Seller  -  Fizz Gibbs
The Artful Dodger  -  Kaffe Jungreuthmayer

Crew
Bar  -  Ed Picken
Choreography  -  Debbie Keating
Choreography  -  Anton Jungreuthmayer
Costumes  -  Janet Tackley
Director  -  Anton Jungreuthmayer
Front of House  -  Carol Brown
Front of House Coordinator  -  Lorna Sexton
Lighting  -  Neil Insull
Lighting  -  John Edwards
Lighting  -  Derek Webb
Make-up Planning  -  Fran Manning
Musical Director  -  Margaret Johnson
Orchestra  -  Howard Etherington
Producer  -  Neil Shearer
Programme  -  Ed Picken
Prompt  -  Betty Turner
Props  -  Bren Timson
Props  -  Ann Fausset
Props  -  Susie Welch
Publicity  -  Jill Rogers
Refreshments  -  Kitty Howard
Set Construction  -  Graham Gibbs
Set Design  -  Anton Jungreuthmayer
Sound  -  Richard Eccles
Sound  -  Dave Wallace
Stage Crew  -  Gill Eades
Stage Crew  -  Ian McLuckie
Stage Crew  -  Peter Tyler
Stage Crew  -  Val Bryant
Stage Crew  -  Liz Gentle
Stage Crew  -  Michael Tackley
Stage Crew  -  Brian Sommerville
Stage Manager  -  Kate Leafhead
Technical Design  -  Graham Gibbs