Productions Archives - Burtonwood AMADS

The Wizard of Oz

rob_ad_minjoot — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:34:14 +0000

In 2023 Burtonwood AMADS decided on it’s comeback show. With an increasing number of young members it was decided to put on a production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’. It was a very popular show with our members and rehearsals quickly got underway, full of enthusiasm. Our talented cast threw themselves into acting, song and dance ably supported by a fabulous production crew.

With capacity audiences for each of it’s 5 performances it proved to be a great success.

We picked up 5 Noda Nominations:

Best Supporting Female in a Musical for Jayne (Scarecrow)
Best Female Comedy Performance for Gemma Ewan (Lion)
Best Director of a Musical for Banaca Tranter
Best Programme (Perkins Class)
Best Female Youth Performer in an Adult production for Jess Ratcliffe (Dorothy)

Noda Review:

Author: Joe Clarke
Burtonwood Amateur Music and Drama Society were finally back on the stage this week with their post pandemic performance of the Frank L Baum classic musical, The Wizard of Oz. This version, by Harold Arlen & E.Y Harburg, is one that I’ve only seen once previously and is slightly different to the classic tale that we all know and love. This version is much funnier and more upbeat than the norm and provides plenty of opportunities for comedic moments. Director, Bianca Tranter was able to showcase these moments and give it more of a panto feel, which captured the audience from the offset. There are many moments in Bianca’s direction to highlight. The main being the characterisations from all, the storytelling and overall visuals which added layers to scenes and helped showcase the hard work that has gone into this production, particularly with the set and costumes. I really enjoyed all the added extra’s that Bianca brought, such as giving the actors freedom to add more comedic moments (such as the brilliant Glinda). Visually, everything was as we expected for the storyline and characters, but I have to say, the costumes and set really looked effective and certainly way more professional than I remember from this smaller society. Great use of the moving bridge in Act 1 and the set for Emerald City looked amazing in Act 2! The use of projections for the Wizard of Oz and the rocket etc was effective too and a nice added touch. Well done to all involved! Your hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed!

One thing to note that needed more work were the vocals from most, particularly with timing. There were far too many who were ahead of the track, and it would’ve been nice to hear more harmonies etc in the company numbers. The tracks themselves were great and the sound overall was equally great also – I could hear everything clearly. The lighting, although somewhat limited in this space, was effective enough and all areas of the stage was lit appropriately and helped add layers to scenes etc.

The choreography was good enough to include those in the whole company and effective enough to showcase the more able dancers within the society. Having a number of choreographers (Rebekah Denton, Jayne Harnick, Bianca Tranter and Mary Gleave) meant that this was more of a collaboration between members, and each was able to showcase their skill. I particularly loved the choreography for ‘Jitterbug’ which was very visually striking and one of the highlights! Well done to all involved in choreography!

The protagonist, Dorothy Gale was superbly played by Jess Ratcliffe. Jess is a previous NODA award winner and it’s not hard to see why. Jess commanded the stage in every scene and was secure in vocality and physicality to portray this iconic character. Jess looked like she was having the time of her life on stage and that made the audience love her from the offset and able to come on the journey with her. Jess’ version of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ was beautifully sung and performed.

The Scarecrow was wonderfully played by Jayne Harnick. I loved the physicality that Jayne brought to the role and kept up throughout the rest of the show. Jayne’s stage presence was fab too and she was well cast in this role. Jayne’s storytelling and diction etc were fab too.
The Tinman was played by Zack Smith. Whilst Zack was a little too laid back for me and I needed a little more projection and energy, I have to say he looked as if he was loving being onstage which made him more loveable. I really enjoyed his costume, and he had a lovely rapport with the others on stage.

The Lion was played by Gemma Ewen. Gemma has brilliant comic timing and got plenty of laughs from the audience. I loved the way in which Gemma used her voice to aid the comedy. Her physicality was also good too. Gemma was well cast in this role too.

The Wicked Witch was played by Helen Dodd. I loved the use of vocality that Helen brought to the role, and she was effective in this role, getting boos from the audience etc. I personally would’ve loved to have seen more physicality brought to convey the evilness but I’m being overly picky here. Glinda was wonderfully played by Rebekah Denton. Rebekah has a unique way of being funny with a look or a gesture and she brought so much more to this role than isn’t in the script. I really enjoyed all the added extras to make this character a sissy diva! There are far too many characters for me to mention in great detail, but special mentions have to go to Daniel Watt as the Munchkin Mayor who was hilarious. The two young ensemble girls (Lily Harnick and Freya Turton) were excellent throughout every scene and were very watchable. Their dancing was also fab too – these two are certainly ones to watch out for in the future!

Rob Minjoot played the role of the Wizard of Oz and was effective in communicating the story. I personally would’ve preferred more of a bumbling idiot to this character but this is just a personal preference and not reflective on Rob’s performance.

Well done to all involved in this production. It is abundantly clear that there is a lot of love for this society which is supported well by their local community. The community spirit was alive and well on the evening of my visit which made it all the more enjoyable to watch. This was a great production and very well received by all. I thank Burtonwood AMDS for their wonderful hospitality (Brian Maffit) and I wish them all the very best for subsequent productions!

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Unhappily Ever After 2022

rob_ad_minjoot — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 13:31:39 +0000

In 2020 Burtonwood AMADS was set to present the wonderful Pantomime, ‘Unhappily Ever After’ written by the talented Mary Ann Gleeson. This was a first for Mary Ann as writer and producer and with one week to go, everything was beginning to sparkle.
Then Covid hit us. Lockdown was soon to be in effect and the risks of going ahead were becoming too great. We had no choice. The costumes went back on the rail. The curtains were drawn over the gloriously painted set and the props went back into storage.
Who knew when we would return to the stage. The show must go on, but for now it would have to wait.

In late 2021 things were beginning to look up. The curtains were drawn back and we began to shake off the gathered dust. Lines would need to be relearnt. Some changes would need to be made. Not all the cast were in a position to pick up where we left off and we would have to recast some of the parts. Mary Ann also had had time to come up with a few more ideas.
With a shake up of the cast and a few changes to the script ‘Unhappily Ever After’ was happily, back on track.
It all came together very quickly and by November 2022, Burtonwood AMADS was back.

Here’s the Noda Report:

Author: Joe Clarke

NODA Award Winning Burtonwood Amateur Music & Drama Society are back on stage this week with their delayed pantomime production of Happily Ever After. Having been delayed due to the worldwide pandemic, this production finally made it to the stage to a great first night audience. Written and directed by AMADS committee member Mary Anne Gleeson, this script gave opportunities to all of the vast cast of members that a ‘general’ pantomime script might not have. Each member was given their chance to shine on stage and I could tell that great fun was being had by all. The writing was good, with jokes for both adults and children. The storyline was easy to follow and despite not being a fan of traditional tale pantomimes, this was one of the best versions that I’ve seen in a while. The direction was generally good. I didn’t mind the scene changes, even if they were a little too loud behind the front cloth, and the scenes were generally well thought out. Some of the transitions of the ending of scenes into the next scene could’ve been more seamless, and the pace of the scenes been a little more up-tempo, but overall, the audience were engaged throughout and laughed and booed in all of the right places.
The choreography was actually quite good, and we were treated to a variety of dance styles. I could tell that a lot of hard work has gone into the choreography and all cast members were well rehearsed. Well done to choreographer, Bianca Tranter. The tap routine to Crazy Horses was a lovely touch!
Using tracks as a backing track to songs can be slightly difficult if the actor has any timing issues. Sadly, there were maybe a few first night nerves for a few, which meant that the timing of some songs was off slightly. I liked some of the tracks used and they (as well as the song choices) complimented the scenes well. The levels of the mics were the biggest issue as a lot were either not turned on or the levels were not correct. Again, this might be down to first night jitters. Because the room is small, I could still hear mainly every word, but it was harder to hear people singing when the tracks were played. The lighting was overall effective, if a little basic. A few times actors didn’t hit their spot, but this was well covered by the lighting team.
I have to say, a lot of hard work has gone into both costume and set design and your hard work did not go unnoticed. The painting of the backdrops was particularly very good – the castle scene in Sir Render’s Grand Hall looked really effective! Well done to the set and costume team (Helen McNicholas & Julie Ratcliffe) for your obvious hard work.
I could tell from the opening few scenes that some of the cast were a little nervous, with some forgetting lines and cues etc. However, being off the stage for the last two-years; this was highly understandable. There was a general huge amount of fun, laughter, energy and enthusiasm to entertain this supportive audience which made the whole evening that little bit more enjoyable. It was great to see various family members on stage together, with the younger ones bring up the ranks, thus leading the way for future years for this wonderful society. There are far too many characters for me to mention by name, but you all played your part, and all positively contributed to this great production.
If I may single out a few of the leading roles…
Jayne Harnick was great as the Narrator Karry Oakey (great name). Her vocals for Half The World Away were fab! Mary Anne Gleeson was funny as Father Goose. I loved the gag about the beard and moustache for each scene! I personally would’ve preferred a little ‘more evil’ (but that’s because I’m evil inside too)! Megan Ratcliffe and Sally Rice were good as the comedy double act: The W Squad. I liked the added handshake thing you guys had between the two of you – a nice touch. Brodie Roblin was suitably funny and dry as Dobbin and a great support for the fabulous Sir Render, played brilliantly by Jess Ratcliffe. Jess’s commitment to character was brilliant! Annie Taylor was able to showcase her lovely singing in Wanabee (This song was one of the highlights). Leigh Nash was very well cast as the panto Dame (Cansmella-Longbottom-Burp) and gave great diction, vocals and storytelling – one to watch out for!
I also really enjoyed George Goddard’s Prince Charming – great casting! As well as his sidekick Tony, played by Matthew Gleeson. A special mention has to go to Rebekah Denton’s overacting as Sleeping Beauty which was brilliant! I also couldn’t take my eyes off Bianca Tranter in every dance number, who, despite being pregnant, shone bright!
This was a funny and entertaining pantomime and despite a few first night jitters, I could tell that each cast member loved being on stage – which is what it’s all about! Technically, there is still some work to do to really use lights, music and sound to enhance the production values. However, sometimes you have to work with what you’re given, and this society certainly do just that. It was great to see so many familiar and new faces on the St Michael’s stage. Your energy and enthusiasm were infectious and the whole cast scenes and numbers were joyful. I thank Burtonwood AMADS for their wonderful hospitality and I wish them all the very best for future productions!
I dedicate this review to the late (and wonderful) Terry O’Neill (Honorary member of Burtonwood AMADS).

We picked up 5 Noda Nominations:
Best Poster
Best Programme
Best Supporting Performance in a Pantomime for Rebekah Denton
Best Choreographer for a Pantomime for Bianca Tranter
Best Pantomime

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Unhappily Ever After 2021

rob_ad_minjoot — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 12:30:12 +0000

Unhappily Ever After

Date	25th November 2021
Society	Burtonwood AM & Dramatic Society
Venue	St Michael’s Parish Hall, Burtonwood
Type of Production	Pantomime
Director	Mary Anne Gleeson
Choreographer	Bianca Tranter

NODA Report

Author: Joe Clarke

The choreography was actually quite good, and we were treated to a variety of dance styles. I could tell that a lot of hard work has gone into the choreography and all cast members were well rehearsed. Well done to choreographer, Bianca Tranter. The tap routine to Crazy Horses was a lovely touch!

Using tracks as a backing track to songs can be slightly difficult if the actor has any timing issues. Sadly, there were maybe a few first night nerves for a few, which meant that the timing of some songs was off slightly. I liked some of the tracks used and they (as well as the song choices) complimented the scenes well. The levels of the mics were the biggest issue as a lot were either not turned on or the levels were not correct. Again, this might be down to first night jitters. Because the room is small, I could still hear mainly every word, but it was harder to hear people singing when the tracks were played. The lighting was overall effective, if a little basic. A few times actors didn’t hit their spot, but this was well covered by the lighting team.

I have to say, a lot of hard work has gone into both costume and set design and your hard work did not go unnoticed. The painting of the backdrops was particularly very good – the castle scene in Sir Render’s Grand Hall looked really effective! Well done to the set and costume team (Helen McNicholas & Julie Ratcliffe) for your obvious hard work.

I could tell from the opening few scenes that some of the cast were a little nervous, with some forgetting lines and cues etc. However, being off the stage for the last two-years; this was highly understandable. There was a general huge amount of fun, laughter, energy and enthusiasm to entertain this supportive audience which made the whole evening that little bit more enjoyable. It was great to see various family members on stage together, with the younger ones bring up the ranks, thus leading the way for future years for this wonderful society. There are far too many characters for me to mention by name, but you all played your part, and all positively contributed to this great production.

If I may single out a few of the leading roles…

Jayne Harnick was great as the Narrator Karry Oakey (great name). Her vocals for Half The World Away were fab! Mary Anne Gleeson was funny as Father Goose. I loved the gag about the beard and moustache for each scene! I personally would’ve preferred a little ‘more evil’ (but that’s because I’m evil inside too)! Megan Ratcliffe and Sally Rice were good as the comedy double act: The W Squad. I liked the added handshake thing you guys had between the two of you – a nice touch. Brodie Roblin was suitably funny and dry as Dobbin and a great support for the fabulous Sir Render, played brilliantly by Jess Ratcliffe. Jess’s commitment to character was brilliant! Annie Taylor was able to showcase her lovely singing in Wanabee (This song was one of the highlights). Leigh Nash was very well cast as the panto Dame (Cansmella-Longbottom-Burp) and gave great diction, vocals and storytelling – one to watch out for!

I also really enjoyed George Goddard’s Prince Charming – great casting! As well as his sidekick Tony, played by Matthew Gleeson. A special mention has to go to Rebekah Denton’s overacting as Sleeping Beauty which was brilliant! I also couldn’t take my eyes off Bianca Tranter in every dance number, who, despite being pregnant, shone bright!

This was a funny and entertaining pantomime and despite a few first night jitters, I could tell that each cast member loved being on stage – which is what it’s all about! Technically, there is still some work to do to really use lights, music and sound to enhance the production values. However, sometimes you have to work with what you’re given, and this society certainly do just that. It was great to see so many familiar and new faces on the St Michael’s stage. Your energy and enthusiasm were infectious and the whole cast scenes and numbers were joyful. I thank Burtonwood AMADS for their wonderful hospitality and I wish them all the very best for future productions!

I dedicate this review to the late (and wonderful) Terry O’Neill (Honorary member of Burtonwood AMADS).

The post Unhappily Ever After 2021 appeared first on Burtonwood AMADS.

Pantomime Postponement

rob_ad_minjoot — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 08:59:51 +0000

It is with a heavy heart that we share this news. Please find below a statement from our chairman..

In view of the current situation, it was decided at a meeting this morning to postpone the AMADS Panto. It’s a cruel blow for all the people who have worked so hard to put on one fantastic show, but it is in the interest of our wider community whose health and welfare come first. A big thank you to St Michaels management for their input and who have said everything will stay in place for a later date. So hang on to your tickets, but should you require a refund then please contact the person you bought them off. Thank you.

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Nominations and Awards – Death by Fatal Murder

rob_ad_minjoot — Mon, 17 Feb 2020 13:20:15 +0000

Burtonwood AMADS received 6 Nominations for NODA North West Awards, District 8:

BEST DRAMA: Death by Fatal Murder – WINNER
BEST PROGRAMME (GOLD): Judith Maffitt – WINNER
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE IN A DRAMA : Pauline Thomas ( Blodwyn)
BEST DIRECTION OF A DRAMA: Judith Maffitt ( Director)
BEST LEADING MALE IN A DRAMA: Rob Minjoot (Inspector Pratt)
BEST STAGING IN A DRAMA : Brian Maffitt

Noda Review

Burtonwood AMDS opened their 2019 season this week with their farcical comedy Death By Fatal Murder, by Peter Gordon. This fantastic script is a great showcase for any society as it gives a great opportunity to explore character, as well as conveying both comedy and farce. The action takes place in Bagshott House in 1940’s, a country estate owned by the late Colonel Craddock, where several years ago a murder took place and was investigated by the bumbling Inspector Pratt. This time, a police constable has gone missing in the house and Inspector Pratt has been called in to investigate – cue the farce!

This play was directed by Judith Maffitt. Most of the action takes place within one location, with references to the house next-door and the adjoining rooms to the guest house. Being a farce, the timing needs to be perfect and most of the physical elements to the farce in this play were very well rehearsed and set up. I particularly liked the physical comedy moments from Inspector Pratt. The direction was evident and the story telling was particularly very good in this play. It was easy for the audience to follow, and at times, the audience were two steps ahead of Inspector Pratt – who wasn’t the sharpest tool in the box! There were a few points in this piece when the actors were upstaged or were talking up-stage, but I fear this was down to the individual performers rather than direction. The time period changed throughout this play, with references to it being midnight, however the clock on the wall stayed at 6:10pm throughout. Visually, the whole piece looked really good and was very pleasing to the eye. Well done Judith!

The technical elements to this play were good. The lighting cues were on time and the quality of the sound was good. I would’ve preferred to have heard some 1940’s music during the scene changes and during the interval etc but this is just a personal thought. The costumes were also very good and apt for each character. One character had a modern hair bobble on her wrist throughout and a few of the ladies had on modern make-up, with contouring etc which looked slightly out of place, but I doubt any of the audience would’ve noticed this.

The set was particularly excellent. It was obviously very well constructed so a special mention must go to Brian Maffitt and Tommy Leonard for their obvious hard work!

The protagonist of this piece was the idiotic Inspector Pratt, played brilliantly by Rob Minjoot. Rob was very funny both vocally and physically. He stayed in character throughout this piece, even when he lost his words. He made this part very funny and very believable. I felt really sorry for his character and Rob did well to quickly get the audience on his side. This brilliant script really lends itself to quality comedy and Rob’s interpretation of Pratt was brilliant. There was a hell of a lot of dialogue for Rob to learn and he did very well with this. For me, Rob was the star of the show – well done Rob!

Nancy Allwright was played by Maryanne Gleeson. Maryanne did well to set up the opening of the play and was intriguing to watch. I could tell that Nancy was embroiled in the plot somehow. I would’ve preferred a slightly more pace and energy to her characterisation to enhance the overall comedy and pace but I’m being very picky.

Ginny Farquhar was played by Bianca Tranter. A smaller part, but Bianca displayed great energy and commitment to character, I would’ve liked to have seen more of her! Bianca had excellent diction, articulation and projection. I liked her styling of her costume and she was very well cast in this role. Bianca was one of the characters with modern contouring in her make-up which looked slightly out of place. Bianca had a great rapport with others on stage with her and gave a lovely performance.

George Goddard played the role of Constable Thomkins. George played the role well and was very good with his cue lines. He also has a nice stage presence and helped with the overall pace. I felt that his character was a little two-dimensional at times. It would’ve been nice to see on his face how he really felt about Pratt behind his back, or the stolen glances with Nancy etc. There is a lot more in the subtext of this complex character that was missed. Saying that, George was well cast and very likeable.

Lavinia Lunt played the role of Joan Maple. Miss Maple, (I suspect is based on Miss Marple), is the sleuth of the piece who helps to work out the ending (with a plot twist of fraud). There is a lot of depth to this character and lots of ways that it could be interpreted. I found that Lavinia’s version of this character wasn’t very apparent due to the fact that Lavinia was searching for the words throughout the whole play. There were numerous times when the prompt was used which stopped the characterisation.

Pauline Taylor played the role of Blodwyn Morgan – the amateur medium who can connect with the deceased. Although Blodwyn also had a few memory lapses with the script, her energy and commitment to the role was brilliant. Farce needs pace for it to work and Pauline brought a much-needed pace to every scene that she was in. I liked her characterisations of each of the personas of the dead. Pauline has a great ear for accents too and her projection was excellent. I look forward to seeing Pauline in a future production!

Enzo Garibaldi – the suspicious Italian, was played by Brian Maffitt. Brian’s Italian accent was so bad that it was really funny. I’m not sure if this was the intention or not but it added to the overall comedy all the same. His wig was equally as bad and equally as funny too. I felt that this part should’ve been played with someone a little younger and that Brian would’ve been more suited to the role of Squadron Leader Allwright but Brian was very entertaining nevertheless.

Squadron Leader Allwright was played by Arran Abbey. I was a little underwhelmed by Arran’s performance. Whilst he looked the part in his brilliant costume, Arran repeatedly came out of character and corpsed slightly during scenes. I also felt that his characterisation was a little laid back for that of a Squadron Leader too.

Overall, this play has the bones of being excellent. The script is very funny, and this version was nearly there. Unfortunately, the prompt was used far too many times which hindered both pace and characterisation. Despite it being opening night, I felt that the cast needed a few more weeks to perfect the words. If so, this would’ve been an outstanding piece of theatre. Despite the prompt, the play was still very funny and entertaining to watch. Two of the ladies on the front row were laughing so much I thought we might have to call an ambulance! If that’s the way the audience were reacting on the opening night, then I fear for the ‘death’s by fatal laughter’ on the closing night!

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Pied Piper of Hamlyn

rob_ad_minjoot — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 11:39:23 +0000

The Pied Piper of Hamlyn

Burtonwood AMADS Pantomime, The Pied Piper of Hamlyn performed 15th ,16th, and 17th February was a fantastic success, receiving many a glowing response from our audience. Thank you, our audience who came to watch and support our truly amazing four shows, we are so proud of everyone involved. Thank you to local artist Helen for creating such a beautiful set. You helped transport everyone to Hamlyn and we greatly appreciate your work! To everyone involved in making our production a worthy success, our Front of house team for looking after our audiences, our sound lighting and back stage team, prompt, cast and chorus we extend our grateful thanks. The Pied Piper of Hamyln has nominated ‘Best Pantomime’ by NODA North West District 8.

Noda Review

The anticipation of the audience was visible on my arrival to the venue, children and adults alike all waiting for the opening of the village’s annual pantomime. Having now seen the production I can see why there was such excitement. A few words to describe this production, energetic, hilarious, slick, colourful and engaging. An excellent script by Peter Long & Keith Rawnsley was packed with fun and so many wonderful opportunities for support roles.

The venue was homely providing a small stage to work upon but the director in this case used all the available space most effectively, using the auditorium for parts of scenes really engaged the audience… great move! Every aspect of staging was given great care to avoid the look of over-crowding, how this was achieved was a wonder to me as the stage was very small, great job. Director John Hickey achieved good pace and the production flowed very well, it was a very well put together show with no opportunity for comedy passed up. There was a great flare for comedy within the cast which is quite important when presenting a script as funny as this one. For first time director John this was a triumph and one you should be very proud off. I expect to see you taking the helm on future productions.

Set design was most extraordinary again when you are faced with such a small, tight area, the team behind the set design achieved a structure which provided just what was required for each scene. Some excellent set pieces caught my eye, stunning chairs in the Mayor’s office, the execution of serving dinner to the mayor’s party, (the rat puppets worked very well at this point) and the art work on the set was great. I was delighted to hear that everything I saw was created in-house, another great quality I find in this group.

Musically, there sits within this group some excellent vocals and even more potential in the supporting roles I saw, with some guidance and an appointed musical director or chorus mistress the confidence to sing out will improve. Standout vocal on the day came from Jayne Harnick, her performance of “Holding out for a Hero” was great.

Choreography was good, giving the ensemble a chance to showcase themselves, I loved the routine by the three ladies during “Holding out for a Hero” and “I would walk five hundred miles”, towards the end of the show was for me beautifully executed, touching and very slick.

The casting of this production was of a good quality, so many wonderful characterisations throughout. Story Teller, Sue Sefton, gave a good delivery of her part, narrating the story as it moves along. I really liked this role as it was empathetic to the story and the characters.

Countess Baddanvile played viciously by Lavinia Hunt, a great performer who relevelled in playing a baddie, she came good in the end which was a lovely twist for this story.

Girda, Mary Anne Gleeson, the dame for this production gave a powerhouse performance of the role, exceptionally funny and very engaging, she gave the audience everything they wanted from the dame. Fantastic comic timing, the stage lit up every time she appeared.

Gretchen played by Amy Ratcliffe was beautiful on stage, she had good energy throughout and worked very well with Heinz, another good comedic actress. Heinz played by Isabella Nash, did an excellent job for one so young, she created a great role and acted very well in her scenes. I loved her performance with Amy of “Be Our Guest”.

Heidi, played by a very talented lady, Jayne Harnick. I thoroughly enjoyed this performance and felt she was very strong throughout, never letting her character slip and as fore-mentioned, a cracking voice.

Rob Minjoot as the Mayor, didn’t really get much opportunity to show himself off on this occasion as the role was quite small, however he delivered the role well. We caught a glimpse of his ability in the “Dad’s Army” mock -up, this was a hoot.

Megan Ratcliffe as the Pied Piper, was well cast in this role, she gave a very confident performance. A nice voice which I expect will improve with some guidance and training.

Hermani & Boris must be spoken about as a duo as they worked so effectively as the Rat catchers, excellent characterisations for these young players, comedic timing that would be the envy of a seasoned player. Jessica Ratcliffe has a lovely voice and certainly one to watch what a confident performance she gave, whilst her side-kick Matthew Gleeson played dumb rather well.

Hans and Martha the ever-babbling children of the mayor were played credibly by Harry Allen and Katelyn Halsall-Jolley, two very young performers. Lovely acting form this pair, they worked well with each other and conveyed the child-like squabbling required. Harry, has a flare for comedy, the sick bag joke was executed very well.

Other supporting roles were delivered well each having a unique character within the production, I love to see real characters even within ensemble numbers. They remained committed throughout and were a joy to watch, from the very young to the not so young, each one gave a hundred percent to the performance.

This was an excellent production and whilst taking into consideration the lack of facilities, this group did themselves proud. I forgot I was in a village hall! I was taken on a journey to Hamelin and met some wonderful characters. I am amazed by this group’s ability, their warmth and honest approach to theatre.

They clearly play a massive role within their community by nurturing the young players that come through and staging great productions. Testament to their success is there existence in this small community for 34 years.

Thank you for a great afternoon of laughter and fun.

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Death by Fatal Murder

rob_ad_minjoot — Sat, 31 Aug 2019 09:00:23 +0000

Death by Fatal Murder

Inspector Pratt’s record of crime detection at Bagshot House in not enviable. In his two previous visits, chronicled in Murdered to Death and Secondary Cause of Death, the body count mounted disastrously as he looked on, helpless and hopeless! Now he is back and, as usual, chaos reigns supreme.

During the course of his latest investigations, Pratt meets the new owner of the house, Nancy Allwright and soon he is embroiled in more mystery, aided and abetted by Miss Maple and Constable Thomkins. Upper-crust Ginny and Italian gigolo Enzo help with enquiries but danger soon looms with an unexpected arrival, and a frightening suggestion by Welsh busybody, Blodwyn Morgan.

Noda Review

Author: Joe Clarke

The set was particularly excellent. It was obviously very well constructed so a special mention must go to Brian Maffitt and Tommy Leonard for their obvious hard work!

Overall, this play has the bones of being excellent. The script is very funny, and this version was nearly there. Unfortunately, the prompt was used far too many times which hindered both pace and characterisation. Despite it being opening night, I felt that the cast needed a few more weeks to perfect the words. If so, this would’ve been an outstanding piece of theatre. Despite the prompt, the play was still very funny and entertaining to watch. Two of the ladies on the front row were laughing so much I thought we might have to call an ambulance! If that’s the way the audience were reacting on the opening night, then I fear for the ‘death’s by fatal laughter’ on the closing night!

Well done to Burtonwood AMADS for a lovely night’s entertainment. I thank them for their fantastic hospitality and wish them all the best for their 2019 season!

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Oliver!

rob_ad_minjoot — Sun, 27 Jan 2019 12:51:41 +0000

Our last production was ‘Oliver!’ and recieved tremendous feedback from its capacity audience. Oliver! was nominated for 2 NODA awards with Jess Ratcliffe winning Best Female Youth Performer:

Jess Ratcliffe – Winner of Best Female Youth Performer.

Daniel – Watt – Nominated for Best Supporting Male in a Youth Musical.

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Nominations and Awards – There Goes the Bride

rob_ad_minjoot — Sat, 17 Feb 2018 12:33:46 +0000

Burtonwood AMADS received 7 Nominations for NODA North West Awards, District 8:

BEST DRAMA: There Goes The Bride
BEST SUPPORTING MALE: Brian Maffitt (Gerald Drimmond)
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE : Jayne Harnick ( Polly Perkins)
BEST SUPORTING FEMALE : Amy Jones ( Judy Westerby)
BEST ARTISTIC DIRECTION: Judith Maffitt ( Director)
BEST MALE LEAD: Rob Minjoot (Timothy Westerby) – WINNER
BEST FEMALE LEAD : Leigh Nash ( Ursula)

NODA REVIEW

There Goes the Bride, a funny farce by Ray Cooney & John Chapman which is so well written and each character equally considered as a pivotal role within the piece. On the day of his daughter’s wedding, father of the bride, Timothy Westerby, over worked and stressed, suffers many injuries to the head, which result in the appearance of his latest advert campaign, a 1920s flapper girl named Polly, whom only he can see causes so much confusion and havoc. This ably sets the play up for some of the most farcical theatre written.

This is a piece of great difficulty; each character needs to be 100% secure in both staging and dialogue as everything in the script is intertwined and the comedy purely relies on all the lines being in correc6t sequin. The cast in this production were very confident and rehearsed which eluded to every joke dropping perfectly. This cannot be achieved overnight, it is a skill which is learned over time with teamwork, trust and personal ability all factoring in to produce something to this standard. It was apparent that this cast worked extremely well together and the casting was spot on. It is a big requirement that each cast member gives the impression that they indeed cannot see Polly the flapper, this was executed so well. I almost started to believe she wasn’t there myself.

Director Judith Maffitt, achieved great pace in this piece and most notably the staging was excellent, this is certainly a piece where the director has to work hard to consider each entrance exit as it is such a busy show, at no point was there a blocking issue or where we could not follow exactly what was occurring. A job very well done.

Leigh Nash brought Ursula Westerby, the mother of the bride to the fore of this performance, a very relaxed and natural performer who has a great gift for comedy and never over-playing. She gave a very grounded performance and throughout most of the play she is the voice of reason until it becomes apparent she is out of her depth.

Amy Jones as Judy Westerby, the bride, although this role has very little to say within the piece, this didn’t stop Amy Jones from giving a great performance, funny and excited to start, apprehensive and confused towards the end, she portrayed a beautiful bride. Wonderful and engaging facial expressions which kept the role relevant throughout.

Brian Maffitt as the Gerald Drimmond, the father-in -law to Timothy, offered some of the best comedy during the evening. A man of great skill, a force to be reckoned in the comedic department. He looked very much at home on the stage. He worked so well with other cast members, his scenes with Timothy were just a hoot and it was clear where all the confusion was coming from.

Lavinia Lunt was a hoot Daphne Drimmond, wife to Gerald, playing her as a straight faced, matter of fact lady, which caused some much confusion. Her interludes were welcomed in her scenes as she just had a great face which was dead pan and a great contrast to that of her husbands. The northern accent worked very well giving more vibrancy to the script.

Timothy Westerby, Rob Minjoot, what a role to play and what a great interpretation we received. Having to cope with the physical demands of two different characters, along with having some very wordy script, Rob excelled in this role. A role that required different body language for each character he got it spot- on, without being over stated, this kept the whole piece very real which I feel made it even funnier that it intended to be. A hit with the audience, we could have watched him titter around the stage giving outburst of 1920’s songs all evening. The hilarity of this role and the confusion it causes is the focal point of the play and this piece would not have worked if the role of Timothy was not perfected in its delivery, I am so happy to say it was played excellently.

John Hickey played down to earth Bill Shorter, well. This character needed more projection throughout but we had a wonderful collection of facial expressions from John. Comic timing was good and he worked well with other cast members.

Jayne Harnick gave Polly the most alluring presence, although she didn’t have much to say she made up for this in her acting skills, great reactions to the scenes and a certain amount if devilment in her eyes. Very well played.

Dave Bolitho as Charles Babcock, I felt sorry for this character as he does not appear until the second act, throughout the play we are given a great deal of information about this character through other characters opinions of him so there was a certain expectation of what he would be like if we ever met him, on this occasion Dave had a great grip on this role and lived up to the character alluded to by the rest of the cast. A great role embellished with a fantastic Australian accent.

Costumes were appropriate, we were treated to the most hilarious wardrobe malfunction which involved a set of braces, to the audiences delight this couldn’t be rectified, it was a hoot. This did not affect the cast in the slightest.

The staging for this piece is clever and it only demands one set throughout, no scene changes which allows the pace to remain stable and to provide great continuity for the difficult script. A good set, with three exiting doors and a set of double doors dead centre at the rear, provided enough to cause much confusion and create a very busy stage.

Lighting was basic but there are no special requirements in this piece and what was provided was very satisfactory. Projection of the players was very good, they made allowance for the eruptions from the audience and waited for the laughter to die down before moving on. This again showed the skill and understanding of those on stage.

Overall, this is a terrific play but testing and demanding on any cast. I thoroughly enjoyed this production and felt the quality of performance was of a very good standard. I look forward to my return visit for your upcoming pantomime.

Thank you for your warm welcome and hospitality on the night.

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