Ali Baba and his 40 Thieves steal show
By VIC PIERCE-JONES HIADS Ali Baba packed the Station Theatre for every one of its nine performances.
The audiences were enraptured by the colour of the sets and costumes, graphic screened backdrops, the vitality of the chorus, young and old, and graphic individual performances.
They were still laughing at the quips and chuckles in Alan Frayn's script as they left the theatre.
The story line was a binary blend of Ali Baba's face down of 40 thieves and the truly classical story of Scheherazade, celebrated by Rimsky-Korsakov and the Focine ballet, peformed in concert halls and opera houses wherever culture contrives to thrive.
Producers Andy Griffiths and Jenny Spice gave the Christmas compote a hilarious spin.
Irrepressible Andy was on top form in the part of lurid Fatima Fandango, dominating the stage with his mobility and oral ease, stealing the show whenever he appeared in his scarlet unisex strip or in his zany kitchen.
Here he coped with culinary incompetence from Daren Cooper as Mustafa Screwloose, who easily could have become a show stopper himself.
Bad boys Bashim and Grabbit were a breath of laddish life whenever they apeared.
Together this four pulled off the trick of turning a market barrow of junk into ASDA.
Honestly this was the slickest sleight I have seen on stage anywere, in its own way as spectacular as Beachlands fireworks.
HIADS must have been more than proud of the young lady leads. Softly spoken Katherine Lincoln convinced as subtle Scheherazade, spinning out her expectation of life with her teasing tales.
The wife-topping sultan whom she fended off, Fraser Richardson, was visibly softened by her wiles, showing that even the meanest man can be softened by effective handling.
Vanessa Hawes was tastefully glamorous as Princess Jasmine, torn from the pleasures and sophistications of Cairo for an Arabian arranged marriage.
Vanessa also sang well to rouse romance into the otherwise none too amorous ambience.
A great success was Jackie Deverell, a triumph as busy, breezy, efficient and versatile Marjana, she put everyone, on and off stage, at ease.
Quietly competent as Crown Prince Haroun was Victoria Brindley, suitably suppressed by the nubile ladies he/she partnered.
The chorus, was a refined assortment of characters easy on the eye as on the ear.
The gentlemen especially excelled as uproarious consummate, choral (actually not quite 40) thieves.
Their front man was John Blackwell as egregious Ashad. Always with a gleaming eye John seems ever so at ease on stage, taking everything in his stride, hinting that he is enjoying the show even more than anyone else.
There was simply no end to the fun. Grand Vizier Alan Hoad was a volcanic presence in a glowing garment with something seemingly about to erupt on his head.
It strikes me that Hayling needs a Grand Vizier in real life to add a touch of authoritative zip and ban our British tendency to banality.
Miriam Gossage as Good Fairy Caterina was really sweet in a fetching outfit of appealing white and her voice, as ever, raised the occasion.
Bad Spirit Alsatia, Sue Finn, was a provocative presence of the contrived canine kind. Her costume sparkled rather than threatened despite quality claws.
This brings me to the costumes in general, by Maggie Knighton.and company. Absolutely awesome!
In fact, innovation was everywhere, thanks to the technical teamwork of Messrs Stevens, Finn, Lincoln and Stubbings.
As well as the aforementioned ASDA effect, the backdrops were a revelation, especially the really rolling stones guarding the thieves' cavern, and the Arabic interiors.
I liked also the manoeuvres of the thieves' oil barrels, and the macabre moment when spectral somethings floated around in the dark
The show was an imaginative tour de force from beginning to end. Dancers and the HIYA teams were great theatre.
Unfortunately talented director Malcolm Bain suffered indisposition durng the performances but his inspiration never ceased.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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