BELLA BARTOCK got all spaced out last night as she saw the latest production from the Mitre Players
No need to travel to the West End this week when you have this high-energy production of the highly entertaining Return to the Forbidden Planet on your doorstep at the Mitre Theatre in Trinity School.
The Mitre players’ performance did not lack for space-aged zap
The show, loosely based on The Tempest, is a run of very popular songs you’ll instantly recognise as if from one of those 1960s compilation albums. The performance revolves around an X Factor elixir.
The musicality is almost always pitch perfect with the band excelling in the relentless pace.
Katy Davis as Gloria is particularly impressive in her powerful rendition of her songs, shown especially in “Go Now”.
The American accents are maintained well and with her science officer glasses, Davis looks like Sarah Palin.
The more troubled characters are blessed with English accents, perhaps mocking American perceptions that the perfidious English are better at playing baddies.
David Elder is fantastically demonic as Prospero driven so mad by the unfaithful Gloria as to engender overwhelming evil despite being a man of the best intentions.
Lorraine Price gives momentum to the production in the Uhuru-type role.
Beci Sageman is also tuneful and wonderfully vampish in the second half after the girlish role before the interval.
Paul Grace does not put a foot wrong as Cookie.
Nick Miller’s comedic background shows up well in the main role as Captain Tempest, but he might do well to use the Rex Harrison speaking technique when it comes to musicals.
The set design clearly benefits from Paul Adams’ long TV experience. Blake’s 7 would be proud.
Shakespeare‘s work has been through many unusual adjustments and adaptations over the years. This is the fun version. Best snap up those £10 tickets via www.mitreplayers.org.uk.
They are performing at 7.30pm each evening until Saturday, July 21, with a 3pm matinée also that day.
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