Association of Community Theatre

Show Reviews 2017

WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND

 

Crewe Amateur Musical Society

 

Director Nicky Evans

Musical Director Treona Holden

 

An open stage greeted the audience with a very interesting rustic composite set on multiple levels. The overall shape changed as  different trucked inset pieces were incorporated. This concept added to the drama. There was only one nagging observation, some of the locations were not clear. Nevertheless all worked exceptionally well. The costumes depicted the 1950s era completing the visual effect.

 

Unfortunately lighting and sound did not enhance the production with late cues and very inconsistent sound levels. The fire scene was not dramatically captivating. It must have been frustrating for the director that those final creative elements were not in tune.

 

The direction was innovative. The use of the townspeople as a Greek Chorus, and the abstract movement, gave a whole new dimension to the show.

 

This musical has to break the audience’s hearts and here the music and interpretation of the songs, complete with power ballads, went a long way to achieving this.

 

There was a unified delivery from the townspeople moving the story from scene to scene. Similarly  the other characters also contributed to the dramatic content but it was the children that tugged at the heart strings. They were all so disciplined in their individual roles and each delivered what was expected from them.

 

The sub plot characters of the new age adolescent teenagers, Candy and Amos. Played by Ellen Dodd and Teagan Paton respectively, they gave credible performances.

 

Universal hope and the coming of age, a devoutly religious 15 year old Swallow disturbs a man in the barn who’s first words are ‘’Jesus Christ’’. She believes he is the Messiah.

 

Michael Daws as the dishevelled Man was brooding and mysterious.  The children were captivated and believed he was.

 

Playing Swallow, Fleur Hayward achieved such innocence as the child becoming a teenager; that she extracted everything from the script.

 

Swallow’s brother, ‘Poor Baby’, Kyan Howarth and Sister ‘Brat’,  Ellie Horsley, were equal in their contribution to the plot development. Boon, their widowed father, was sympathetically portrayed by Nick Horsley.

 

A lot of work had gone into bringing such a meaningful production to fruition.