Haywards Heath Operatic Society

Annie Get Your Gun

20^th - 24^th April  2004

Director / Choreographer - Janis McLean

Musical Director - Michael Hinton

Ladies chorus

Mens chorus

(By arrangement with Josef Weinberger Ltd)

Review reproduced from the Mid Sussex Times

Irving Berlin was just pipped to the wild west post by Rogers and Hammerstein. Their Oklahoma! got to cowboy country a few years earlier but as Haywards Heath Operatic Society`s revival of Annie Get Your Gun showed last week, Berlins piece still stands up well against its rival even though it does suggest that it retains at least a toe in the bygone world of operetta.

There have now been three Oklahomas! at Haywards Heath and three Annies (after extra time) so, like the shooting match in the latter show, it's a well balanced contest.

The big difference between them is that Oklahoma! is chorus driven and brings to life "a whole new state." Annie in contrast is very much a star vehicle with a few half decent supporting roles. One thinks of Ethel Merman on the stage in the title role and Betty Hutton in the film.

This suited the operatic siciety with their small chorus and the limitations of a narrow stage. Janis McClean, the industrious director/choreographer, staged it simply and imaginatively, although at times the static nature of the action suggested a concert version with the stars running through one hit after another. Even so the difficult railroad scene was deftly staged, despite sound effects making it seem as though everyone was aboard a clanking paddle steamer rather than a train.

At the heart of the proceedings, no matter what the location, were Rebecca Dowden and Mike MacKenzie as the bickering sharpshooters and their edgy relationship brought the action to vibrant life. We have been out west with MacKenzie before, aboard river boats and goodness knows where else, so knew what to expect from his Frank Butler: a strong well focused voice and a natural, relaxed presence. He duly delivered of course and you couldn`t help liking his Frank Butler, even though the character is a vain chauvinist whose masculinity can only be saved by Annie deliberately losing their shooting match.

Dowden`s Annie was much more of an unknown quantity and proved the revelation of the evening. Her metamorphosis from wild prairie chicken with fowl pest to peaches and cream charmer carried conviction mainly because of her retention throughout of the character`s homespun qualities. This natural hokey appeal was also retained in her delivery of the lyrics where she sung a variety of different types of number with conviction. The lead couple`s relationship in song reached its peak with the points scoring Anything You Can Do which ensured they were an item.

Of the rest Tony Jefford made Buffalo Bill a bit of a loser; Michael Wates was a wise Sitting Bull; Sue Wilson a scheming Dolly Tate.  Mark Freeman`s show manager, Bill Colbourne`s testy hotelier, and John Brooke`s rival showman Pawnee Bill were also well in the frame.

Michael Hinton and his musicians ensured that we left whistling a remarkable score of melodic numbers.

Mark Gale

Registered Charity Number: 800597