Exciting Operetta Given By Schools

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31129, 4 August 1966, Page 16

Exciting Operetta Given By Schools

Benjamin Britten’s intriguing and exciting operetta, “Noye’s Fludde,” was given an outstanding performance deserving of high commendation by the pupils of St. Margaret’s and Christ’s Colleges last evening. Mr Nigel Creese was the producer and Mr R. Field-Dodgson was the musical director. Each did a splendid job and the co-operation between them resulted in a fast-moving and smooth production.

The performance took place in the Christ’s College Chapel where the cold suggested that the Deluge occurred during the Ice-Age, but there was no lack of warmth, colour, and elan in the acting and the music. The work was a good choice for a combined-schools’ effort because so many people could take part in it. The combined orchestras of the two schools did sterling work in playing the difficult score with confidence and aplomb, a group of recorder players gave clever imitative effects and added a charming colour to the music, and the boys who played the brass fanfares gave effectively heightened dramatic force when required. The whole orchestra, with Mr Bicknell at the organ and Mrs Allison and Miss Mullan at the pianos, created and sustained the necessary atmosphere throughout the performance. Mr Field-Dodgson was a most helpful and wise shepherd of the whole musical flock, and kept everything together with smooth and understanding direction. There was good discipline, and freedom also, in the playing and the singing. Exemplary clarity of words in all the singing by princippals and chorus helped the performance greatly and all concerned are to be congratulated on the hard work they must have put into obtaining this. The boys and girls who acted the parts of Noah’s sons and their wives moved well and sang with charm and tone. Mrs Noah’s Gossips gave an insouciant liveliness and glamour to the production, and it is a pity that they had to be drowned. It would have been understandable if Noah had decided to take them instead of some of the animals who overcrowded his very effectively staged ark. The animals, myriads of them, were delightful as they swept up the aisle singing “Kyrie Eleison,” and they kept wonderfully still later in what must have been very cramped quarters. When the ark began to move, their staying movement and the way in which they peered over the side looking forlorn and seasick was humorous and most appealing. Their masks were splendidly designed. Mrs Noah was played by

Mrs Ngaire Johnston and she created the character of a termagent with forceful credibility. That “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform” was shown in the fact that Mrs Noah was saved at the last moment, for she was a woman who would have been greatly improved by drowning. Noah was played by Mr John Fisher and he brought a telling dignity as well as an attractive voice to the part. He kept a controlled patriarchal air which did much to give focus to the whole atmosphere. Linda Wingham and Gwynydd Parry danced charmingly as the Raven and the Dove.

Mr Creese brought a sonorous majesty and arresting vibrancy to his reading of the voice of God. The whole presentation was simple and natural, and it is remarkable that so much could take place in such a small space. There was an enchanting lightness of touch to it all that created just the right atmosphere and brought out the humour of the work with nice balance against its more serious importance. —C. F. B.