|
|
|
|
|
|
Stars explained: * A production of no real merit
with failings in all areas. ** A production showing evidence of not
enough time or effort, or even talent, and which never breathes any real
life into the piece – or a show lumbered with a terrible script. *** A
good enjoyable show which might have some small flaws but has largely
achieved what it set out to do.**** An excellent show which shows a
great deal of work and stage craft with no noticeable or major
flaws.***** A four star show which has found that extra bit of magic
which lifts theatre to another plane. |
|
|
Best feet forward: Mavis's Tappers' chorus line Stepping Out. Pictures: Emily White Stepping Out Highbury Theatre Centre **** If you can't tell your scuff from your flap and mix up your ball change with your shuffle then maybe you need to enrol in Mavis's weekly tap classes – that's dance not plumbing by the way – in this delightful, heartwarming production about a mismatched group of ordinary, give or take, people. They turn up every week, pay their subs, apart from Sylvia who has to be reminded, and then stress test the floor of the church hall with their attempts to emulate Ginger Rogers, or Fred Astaire in Geoffrey's case, Geoffrey being the sole man in Mavis's tappers. Mavis being the teacher, beautifully played, and expertly danced by Kate Pilling, who has been tap dancing for real since the age of four Mavis is an ex-pro dancer who has hit that fatal career moment of having never broken into leading parts to ensure an element of longevity as a star name and reaching an age the wrong side of being wanted for youthful chorus lines. So, with her love of dancing, here she was, teaching and loving it. Her home life is a mystery, but there are lines to read between. Then there is Mrs Fraser, Mavis's pianist, a relationship that seems beyond professional, with Mrs Fraser almost like a second mum looking out for her in her own grouchy way. It is a lovely performance from Sandra Haynes as the sharp-tongued, cantankerous, grumpy, and we might add, classically trained accompanist who gives the impression she is doing everyone an enormous favour just by being there.
Kate Pilling as Mavis and Sandra Haynes as Mrs Fraser As for the pupils . . . what a mixed bunch, and as we all know, in any group of people the only normal one is yourself, so, they are all a bit odd, but they are also all beautifully acted and well defined. So, let's start with Mandy Yeoman's Dorothy. She works for the DWP where you suspect she keeps her head down – probably below ground level. She has no self-confidence, "self confidence, yes" and she also has a habit of repeating the end of other people's sentences "sentences, yes" and her life is a series of mishaps, or at least she thinks it is. Then there is Emma Woodcock's Lynne at the younger end of the class and more able in the foot department. She is eager, wants to do well and tries to be helpful, a lot, and not always with success. Louise Grifferty's Maxine is a sort of middle class, suburban Del Boy, always arriving with bags of leotards, shirt, jumpers . . . hats all promised to group members on a pay me next week basis. She also has a habit of putting her foot in it. And putting both feet, and legs and beyond in it we have Denise Phillips's Vera. Tact is not one of her strongest traits, or a trait at all to be honest. She is from the posh end of town, likes everything just so, clean, prim and proper, is obsessed with appearance, and cleaning, and she says what she thinks without fear or favour, totally oblivious to anyone's feelings, and she boasts constantly about her successful husband, all of which makes her about as popular as a bout of flu, although she does helpfully explain the seasons in relation to armpits . . . don’t ask. . . .
Dave Douglas as Geoffrey and Denise Phillips as Vera Popularity brings in Alex Hunter's Rose in her colourful wigs, who is there for the craic with learning to tap a bonus to her weekly meet up with the group for a laugh as life and soul followed by a trip to the pub/wine bar/hostelry with her friend Sylvia played by Amarpreef Marwaha. Rose has been at war with her husband for their entire marriage, or so she says, but years on and they are still together, and the war seems more about laughs than hostility. Sylvia, meanwhile, is from the media savvy generation who starts her tap adventure wearing trainers, which is a bit like dancing Flamenco in slippers. Having decided to continue she then relies on eBay for her tap shoes, where else, for a perfect . . . well near enough fit. She is happily independent and goes her own way, which always seems to be a similar direction to the flow. Then there is Andy, Anne really, hiding behind Sharon Clayton. Andy is always hiding. She hides herself under her clothes, dressing plainly, clothes that never attract attention, and her life outside the class is . . . well we just don’t know. She is always there, always available if needed, but always trying to be unnoticed, hidden in plain sight. Her only real friend seems to be Geoffrey and even that is no more than lost souls in the same room. Ah, Geoffrey, Dave Douglas's Geoffrey. Geoffrey is a widower and you suspect he is there for the company rather than a burning desire to dance – Fred Astaire's legacy is hardly likely to come under threat. Geoffrey is polite, says little and nothing of consequence, and seems terminally shy and socially inept so, he keeps himself to himself in his own hidden corner, happy, it seems, just to be there and part of a group, even if he is just hovering on the fringe, anything beyond that seems beyond him.
The whole class stepping out Dave Douglas as Geoffrey, (left), Louise Grifferty as Maxine, Amarpreef Marwaha as Sylvia, Denise Phillips as Vera, Alex Hunter as Rose, Emma Woodcock as Lynne, Sharon Clayton as Andy, Mandy Yeomans as Dorothy and Kate Pilling as Mavis. The first half introduces us to the characters with their idiosyncrasies, their failings, their problems . . . or at least the little they are prepared to reveal. That changes when Mavis's Tappers are invited to perform in a charity show in a real hall, with a real stage and a real audience and the weekly, fun social classes that didn't matter found suddenly they had a purpose – relaxation had given way to rehearsal and the mounting pressure and growing stress levels were breaking down the group barriers. Baggage is unloaded, unspoken thoughts shouted out loud as our group find their voice amid the familiarity of friendship and their lives and relationships with partners, and each other, are exposed. The characters grow, they become human, they have problems and endure situations we recognise or at least can understand, lives that are shams, are lies or are perhaps loving, ordinary . . . lives we call human for all its strengths and frailties. There are still laughs, and some brilliant lines, Sylvia's view of her wedding is a classic, but there is also pathos along with empathy for characters we have come to know as their lives are laid bare. Pasts that shaped them, presents that hurt them, futures that could save them. The comedy and drama, with its home truths and confessions, serves to bring the group closer, animosities giving way to understanding, all leading up to their final performance, which, for a bunch of amateurs, most of whom only had hot and cold as their only practical experience of tap, was quite remarkable. All you could do was marvel. Malcolm Robertshaw's set is a practical church hall until we transform to a starlit, glamorous stage with red velvet tabs for our Tiller Girls (and a bloke) finale . . . which gives you something to look up on the internet. Tina Williams as choreographer has done a brilliant job in creating routines that look good, even complex, but are still at a level beginners and novices can achieve and Margaret Herdman provided the real piano music while Laura McLaurie's direction has kept up a decent pace to create an entertaining and enjoyable evening with laughs, pathos and a wonderful chorus line finale, and 2, 3, 4 . . . To 21-06-25. Roger Clarke 11-06-25 |
|
|
|
