Due to Central Hall’s ongoing construction work, Happily Ever After Society have made a welcome change of venue, occupying the delightfully velvet-clad Joseph Rowntree Theatre in Haxby for their latest production, Thoroughly Modern Millie. Directed by William Descrettes and choreographed by Amy Walsh and Lily Marriage, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a light-hearted, enjoyable tale which suffers from one or two flat moments in an otherwise fantastic show.
Set in 1920s New York, a city bustling with speakeasies and jazz, Thoroughly Modern Millie follows a “fearless young lady” named Millie Dillmount (Lottie Johnson) as she arrives in the Big Apple from Salina, Kansas, determined to live life to the full. After meeting a man named Jimmy (Tom Jones), Millie checks in to the Hotel Priscilla, owned by the strange pseudo-Oriental Mrs Meers (Melissa Layton). With one week to gain employment before Mrs Meers kicks her out, Millie finds work as a secretary at Sincere Trust under the charismatic Trevor Graydon (Luke De Belder), and hatches a plan to marry him. However, life in New York doesn’t turn out to be that simple, and Millie’s feelings for Jimmy begin to complicate things in a city alive with showbiz, short skirts and foul play.
After a fairly slow start, the production began to pick up pace, and soon all the concerns that usually accompany an amateur production flew out the window. Scene after scene, the cast outdid themselves, bringing the show to life. Tom Jones is endearing and convincing as Millie’s love interest, Jimmy, and the relationship between the two really begins to glow during the second act. Dorothy (Bethan Williams), Millie’s roommate at the Hotel Priscilla, displays an amazing vocal range, and her performance as a golden-haired Californian girl is delightful. Luke De Belder is utterly believable as Trevor; his love-struck gaze and mannerisms are fantastic. Furthermore, ‘The Speed Test’, led by Trevor and Millie, is a particular highlight in the first act.
Melissa Layton’s performance as Mrs Meers arguably stole the show; her impeccable comic timing and expressive face striking a perfect balance between menacing and hilarious. Her line “Character part? Try STAR!” seems particularly appropriate – I lost count of the number of people copying the faux Chinese accent outside the theatre after the show.
Certain dance numbers seem better rehearsed that others, and a bit more of the Charleston would not have gone amiss, but on the whole the show has been excellently choreographed; space is used effectively, and the big numbers involving the chorus really bring the Roaring Twenties to life, complimented by the skilfully conducted orchestra led by musical director, Alexander Conway.
The show’s weakest moments involve the display of two different sets of subtitle cards (stage left and stage right) translating Ching Ho (Mike Owen) and Bun Fu (Josh Savage), Mrs Meers’ ill-treated workers at the hotel. There was an air of confusion during these moments; cards were often displayed at the wrong time in relation to dialogue, or briefly displayed upside-down. Furthermore, having to dart one’s focus from left to right in order to understand dialogue distracts from the excellent performances on stage; Owen and Savage are like an oriental Laurel and Hardy. This subtitle issue may have been improved by sitting further back, but in some cases spotlights on the cards did not come on at all, meaning that they were difficult to read wherever you were sitting.
The set design, by Katie England and Ellis Wilde, sports towering, silhouetted skyscrapers, providing the perfect backdrop to the New York setting without distracting from the show itself. Scene changes, particularly those involving the large red doors in Mrs Meers’ hotel, were very sloppy at times, but one must acknowledge that huge prop doors are not the easiest objects to carry while navigating a dark stage. The creative use of back lighting behind the skyscrapers fittingly captures the glow of the city, and the effective use of stage space creates a believable city bustle despite the relatively small cast.
Overall, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a fantastic production, incorporating an extremely talented cast, stylish set, and, for the most part, excellent direction and choreography. If the thought of catching the bus to Haxby seems like too much effort, don’t be a fool. This is a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
man went to this play, it was bare swag.