Press Review

Review of Bye Bye Birdie as published in the Woking Review

Woking Amateur Operatic Society’s latest production Bye Bye Birdie, which completed its run on Saturday at the Rhoda McGaw theatre, was a bold move, and a risk well worth taking. The musical comedy, centring on an Elvis-like pop idol about to be drafted, and the machinations of his manager eager for one last hit before he goes, is an intelligent, satirical look at the pop business and includes a surprising number of well-known songs - Put On A Happy Face, A Lot of Livin’ To Do, and Kids.. And an exuberant, enthusiastic WAOS cast, invigorated by an influx of young blood, certainly did it justice.

The performers were commandingly led by Norman Holden, who as Albert Petersen, manager of the teen sensation Conrad Birdie, finds himself torn between the demands of the pop business, his secretary Rose’s wish to him to downsize his career somewhat to become an English teacher, and the mournful devotion of his mother, like an ever-present ghost rattling her chains. When he was not dashing about, harassed or wheeler-dealing, his experience, charm and song and dance talents effortlessly came to the fore in Put On A Happy Face, where he showed how youth can sometimes be wasted on the young, as well as the moving Baby, Talk To Me.

His eventual decision to turn his back on millions in favour of the quiet life is testimony to the persuasive wiles of Rose (Gillian Freeman), his put-upon but determined personal assistant who is not afraid to resort to dirty tricks in order to get her man, and to get back at him as well. In a storming performance she gave it both barrels in the tempestuous, bag-packing number What Did I Ever See in Him, as well as unveiling her exotic ancestry in the rip-roaring, show-stopping Spanish Rose.

The objects of Albert’s manoeuvrings are Conrad Birdie (Stuart Guest), the army-bound star who gave a knowing, cynical performance in delivering the wry Honestly Sincere and his hit One Last Kiss, and Kim Macafee (Nicola Sinclair) the devoted fan picked to receive Conrad’s final embrace before the draft, who hit her own personal high note with the sweet song How Lovely To Be A Woman.

One theme running through this show is the demands of family. Kim is dogged by her manic father Harry (Geoff Morris), who has difficulty in adjusting to having a pop star in his house, but less difficulty in adjusting to appearing on prime time TV. At times his goofy antics stole the show – and not just Ed Sullivan’s. Harriet Graves played his long- suffering wife with confidence and charm, and, together with Nic White who played their rebellious young son, provided an excellent foil for Mr Macafee’s histrionics.

Then there is Albert’s mother Mae, a constant thorn in his side as well as sworn arch-enemy of Rose. Whilst claiming to be a self-sacrificing martyr, she is in fact a tyrant and Rita Brown played the part as though born to it.

It was a particular pleasure to see so many young performers taking their first bows with WAOS and performing with confidence and enthusiasm – surely a sign of great things to come.

The show was a credit to its producer, Lynda Lawrence, who must be proud of the energy and life of this show. Paul Harris led the band masterfully through the rollicking rock and roll numbers and the romantic ballads alike.

All in all this was a great family show, and the audience certainly did not need to be told to put on a happy face!