I got my shoes reheeled yesterday but feared that a second trip to the cobblers may be in order after sitting through Walmsley Church AODS’s current musical offering. For I was tapping my foot like a man possessed as the cast performed an infectious version of the Gershwin-fuelled musical. What they lacked in polished perfection, they made up for with exuberance, enthusiasm and some cracking renditions of the songs which helped this production to Tony Award Success in 1992.

Kevin Rawcliffe excelled as love-struck wannabe star Bobby Child and in the scenes when his character took on the role of theatre supremo, Bela Zangle. Cue wonderfully over-the-top German accent. The deliberately overly British couple, Patricia and Eugene Foder, played by Jane Bickerstaffe and John McCrae, also deserve note.

The story follows Bobby as he is sent to Nevada by his mother and head of the family’s banking corporation to close a local theatre. There he falls in love with its owner, Polly Baker (Teresa Harper) and bids to put on a show to save it. Baker puts in some strong solo vocal performances to justify her role — and ends up in the arms of her suitor.

Another top offering from Walmsley, led by Nora Howcroft.

James Higgins

Crucial to this style of show, amongst others, are pace, continuity and a slick dancing troupe. There were, at times, delays in scene changing, which required the cast to pick up the pace again. The Follies Girls also had their work cut out and whilst the choreography from Lara Crombie was competently carried out, the necessary sparkle and vitality were not much in evidence. Having said that, Gershwin's music and lyrics were a pleasure to hear again, and there were several quite respectable individual performances.

As Bobby Childs, Kevin Rawcliffe, whilst not quite a Fred Astaire, put a great deal of effort into his many successful dance routines. The New York playboy element of the character was a little underdeveloped whilst Teresa Harper, as the small town girl Polly Baker, was vocally and visually a natural and gave an engaging performance. Mike Bailey gave a sound portrayal of Bella Zangler whilst Lank Hawkins, a man non-too-keen on the theatre being saved, was well played by Alan Hitchens, as was Everett Baker by Don Howcroft. Joyce Walters played Bobby's mother with style, whilst the expected man-eating character of Irene Roth (Louise Steggals) was not fully developed.

Knowing that director Nora Howcroft would have required maximum effort to be put into the production by all concerned, I was sorry not to have enjoyed it more.

Glyn Neary