‘Where's Charley?'

Press, 27 November 1980, Page 6

‘ Where' s Charley?'

By Howard McNaughton

“Where’s Charley?” by George Abbott and Frank Loesser. Directed by Julie Honkirk for the CanterbuRepertory Theatre society; Repertory Theatre, November 26 to December 6. Running times: 8 pmi. to 10.15 pun. Coming from : the same Broadway season (1948-49) as ?“Kiss Me Kate.... and “Schsth Pacific,” this musical version of Brandon Thomas s play might seem just another example of the theatrical Trivia that dominated-the post-war stage.. Certainly, thejmusical preserves most of>the stupid superficiality that makes up the_ central charm of the late Victorian farce. • . However, in presentational vigour this version has an appear of its own. The celebrated eternal chase sequence is all here, most amusingly done by John Hendry, but in the music j

and choreography there arei numerous twists of mood that introduce unexpected stylistic and emotional Lvels. -

The opening sequence presents a troupe of students clad in blazers and waving boaters, singing “Gaudeamus Igitur" through the upstage window. The effect is, as they say. in Brazil, dreadful until one realises ‘that selfparody is just part of the fun," accentuated ' by John Murphy’s appealingly gross set designs. The third scene is in an impressionistic garden, and a duet between Charley (Bryon Jones) and Amy (Pa(sy Baldwin) is sung and choreographed (by the director) with an atmospheric freshness: “Make a miracle” is the ironical prelude to T the ludicrous drag scenes that make up the central action, Amy sings a more serious romantic piece, “The woman in his room,” and thejnterval comes with an eXpecta-

tion of more complexity in the second act. Thomas’s farce, however, must reassert itself, and the disrobing of Charley seemed simply abrupt. His song, “Once in love with Amy”, was a predictable audience favourite, and there was a judicious tightening of the pace towards the end so that the audience was effectively held right through to the appealingly presented curtain sequence. In the secondary roles, Irene Macdonald’s Donna Lucia, , Kevin Potter’s Jack, Dorothy Hart’s Kitty, and Barry Smith’s Sir Francis all contribute well, to important scenes, and there are some well organised episodes from the two choruses. A few transitional devices went awkwardly last night, and some of the solo singing was unpolished, but the dramatic energy was unmistakable and the cast will certainly improve: further with more confidence.