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THEATRE REVIEW: RED HOT AND COLE, TOADS STAGE MUSICAL COMPANY, LITTLE THEATRE, TORQUAY.
11:00 - 29 October 2004
Recreating the life-story of songwriter Cole Porter is no easy task.
But under the direction of Joe McNulty and musical leadership of Jonathan Watts, TOADS Stage Musical Company may have just pulled it off. As a two-act review of the life of the prolific songwriter the production is blessed with a plethora of Cole Porter classics.
No less than 34 favourites from Anything Goes and You're the Top through to It's De-lovely made for a delightful evening.
At times, resembling an old time music hall sing-a-long ,the evening explores aspects and exploits of the life of Cole Porter.
Elsa Maxwell, Noel Coward, Moss Hart and Dorothy Parker all drop in along the way as a tragic horse riding accident leaves the flamboyant Porter with crippling injuries.
The jungle drums say Steve Gale in the lead role of Mr Porter had significantly less time than he would have hoped for to rehearse the lead role.
Very much in the spirit of amateur theatre week, which coincides with the production, Steve came through and then some.
And given another week or so the production would up there with the best of them.
The set was well designed if not a little small - the Little Theatre needs to use all the space it can get its hands on.
The use of projector was a nice touch showing images of the man himself and the era.
Choreography on the whole seemed slick but the tap sequences were simply too quick for the cast to keep up with.
Still it was good to see all the cast having a crack at it.
Sturdy direction backed by the highly animated cast left me with the impression that they were determined to give a sound performance or die trying.
All credit to them.
Red Hot and Cole runs at the Little Theatre in Torquay until tomorrow.
Box office 01803 299330.
JONPAUL HEDGE
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