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From
the moment the band strikes up you know what you're in for - a good
old fashioned, rip-roaring piece of family entertainment - but that
doesn't stop it from being highly enjoyable!
The
exceptionally fast-moving story opens on a mountain ranch in the
old American Wild West, where backwoodsman Adam Pontipee is struggling
to cope with the responsibility of looking after his six younger
wayward brothers.
Adam
is powerfully played by Tom Evans, who portrays his part with vigour
and energy. Totally believable as the head of the household, his
voice was commanding and powerful and his singing strong - complete
with American drawl!
Adam
soon realises he needs someone to look after him and his brothers
and so rides into town in search of a wife!
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| Tom
Evans and Lesley Houldcroft |
Not
a man to hang around, Adam woos and marries young Milly within hours
of meeting her. His reasoning is that there's no point wasting time
going through a long courtship and unbelievably she agrees! Is this
woman really so desperate for a husband?
Milly
is beautifully played by Lesley Houldcroft who carries off her role
with great aplomb. Keeping the audience captivated throughout with
her stunning vocal talents, she cleverly portrays Milly as a strong
and determined young woman.
There's
no honeymoon though for these two newly weds, as they head back
to the ranch, where Milly soon discovers what she's let herself
in for. Fear not though! For Milly is of the thoroughly modern type,
and soon shows them who's boss.
Milly
decides the best course of action is to find wives for Adam's brothers
and sets about teaching them all manners and how to behave when
Going' Courtin! Now groomed to perfection and step perfect
on the dance floor, they head off to the town social - where the
real action starts!
On
a stage, which at times seemed a little too crowded to cope with
all the necessary cartwheels, twirling, whirling and brawling, we
were treated to a frenzied exchange of partners - girls dance with
suitors - girls dance with brothers - suitors take girls back -
brothers win girls again - suitors brawl with brothers - brothers
banished from town - girls smitten!
The
brothers, depressed at not being able to see their new loves, sneak
back into town, kidnap the girls and in a wonderfully entertaining
waggon pulling scene take the girls off to their ranch in the mountains,
conveniently cut off by an avalanche, they're now stuck with each
other until the spring!
Special
mention must go to the six brothers and their brides-to-be. Played
by a young cast they exuded confidence, mastered the drawling American
accents perfectly and appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.
The energetic acrobatics and dance routines were well honed and
a joy to watch. The six brides, who all had some very challenging
costumes changes to cope with, played their parts convincingly -
although it was a shame we didn't get to hear more of their singing.
Steven
Monaghan, playing the lovable and naive youngest brother Gideon,
particularly caught the eye, pledging his love for the young Alice.
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The
brothers and their brides-to-be in rehearsal
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Adam,
by now a tad peeved by Milly's influence on his brothers, and no
longer feeling like the head of the family, packs his bags and heads
off to the hills for the winter - a touch of male hormones I suspect!
Spring
arrives, love is in abundance on the mountain, the girls don't want
to go home, oh - and Milly's had a baby girl!
After
brother Gideon pays him a visit, Adam comes to his senses, returns
from his sulking in the log cabin, and falls back into Milly's arms
- well we all knew she'd take him back without a cross word didn't
we!
Now
restored as head of the household, Adam decides to take the girls
back to town before their disgruntled families can make their way
up the snow thawed mountain. But the townsmen arrive and unsurprisingly
misinterpret the cries of the Milly's baby when all the girls simultaneously
claim to be the mother of Milly's baby. The shocked townsmen fulfill
everyone's wishes by forcing the couples to marry in a shotgun wedding
- giving them exactly what they wanted - Oh Wonderful, Wonderful
Day!
Everyone
from the animated townspeople at the rear of the stage, to the lead
actors at the front, gave an extremely polished performance. Not
wanting to sound too much like Hugh Grant - I am "in complete
and utter awe" of any amateur thespian who can juggle the daily
demands of work and home and yet still find the enthusiasm and time
to attend countless rehearsals - and then actually have the nerve
to stand up and perform on stage!
If
you're looking for a night out full of good old fashioned stage
entertainment, then you'll be hard pushed to find anything as enjoyable
and exhilarating as this - catch it while you can!
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