‘Anything Goes'
 
A musical comedy by G. Bolton and P G Wodehouse

Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter
  
 1962 Off Broadway Revival
  
 Production Director Eric Pover

 Musical Director David Parkes

 Stage Manager Steve Garbett

 Dance Captain Michelle Walters  

‘Anything Goes’  Bridgnorth Journal

written by Melvyn Morgan

It’s all aboard for Anything Goes at Bridgnorth Leisure Centre until tomorrow as the operatic society perform Cole Porter’s hit musical comedy. Full houses are applauding their way through the 48th and Millennium Production which is proving a colourful spectacular matched by top drawer and collective performances.

The dance routines and dress deserve special praise for quality and it seems a shame to pick anyone out as being better than anyone else amongst the principal characters. However Robin Cooper as the ‘Dandy’ Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, Russal Lucas playing stowaway Billy Crocker, Barbara Devey as Bonnie, the all American moll with a superb Gracie Allen type accent and Jason McComb as American gangster Moonface were among my favourites.

The action takes place on board ship during a journey from new York to England, embarked by beautiful young heiress Hope Harcourt (played by Annette Thompson) accompanied by Evelyn and his mother alias Jane Williams. Also aboard is Billy Crocker who falls for Hope and tries to stop her marrying Evelyn. Moonface arranges for Billy to acquire a passport and tickets of a gangster friend who fails to make the trip and not surprisingly, the scenario, soon produces complications for the pair as they don various disguises in an attempt to avoid arrest.

Also joining in the fray is Deborah Owen as Reno Sweeney, John Gaynor and Ernie Jarman as Chinese gamblers, Mike Proudman as the bishop and David Goodall as drunken Wall Street executive Elisha J Whitney.

The only criticism to be drawn from a society with a professional polish is that it only stages one weeks production a year. I wish there were more, but unfortunately the show comes to an end tomorrow night.

Cast

 Elisha J Whitney
 Steward
 Reporter (Charlie)
 Cameraman
 Sir Evelyn Oakleigh
 Mrs Wadsworth T. Harcourt
 Hope Harcourt
 Bishop (Henry T Dobson)
 Reno Sweeney
 Moonface Martin
 First Chinese (Ching)
 Second Chinese (Ling)
 Purser
 Bonnie
 Captain of SS America
 Chastity (Angel)
 Purity (Angel)
 Virtue (Angel)
 Charity (Angel)
 Faith (Angel) 
 Ecstasy (Angel)
 Girl 1 (Passenger)
 Girl 2 (Passenger)
 Girl 3 (Passenger)

David Goodall
   Andrew Jones
  Andrew Kirby
  Andrew Bours
  Robin Cooper
  Jane Williams
  Annette Thompson
  Mike Proudman
 Deborah Owen
   Russell Lucas
  John Gaynor
  Ernie Jarman
  Edmund Hobday
  Barbara Devey
  Gordon Grant
  Sarah Thirlwall
  Stephanie Hood
   Deana Humphries
  Lindsey Grant
  Rebecca Davies
  Michelle Walters
  Sylvia Best
   Naomi Conway
   Barbara Preece 

Passengers

Graham Boden, David Goodall, John Gaynor, Gordon Grant, Andrew Kirby, Andy Jones, Fred Mantle, Mike Proudman, Anthony Swales.

Sailors

Andrew Bours, ,Gary Cullen, David Francis, Michael Stanley, Dominic Tiernan, Neil Yates.

Passengers

Trish Beaman, Sylvia Best, Caroline Bond, Judy Botfield, Naomi Conway, Sheena Grant, Claire Hill, Lindy Macdonald, Fiona Mundy, Marilyn Owens, Emma Parker, Barbara Preece, Karen Ridley, Alison Rowland-Roberts, Mary Swales, Amy Walker.

Orchestra

Kate Morgan & Caroline Pearsall

Ruth Hewitt

Robert Cracknell & Jo Wallace

Jenny Morris

Cliff Williams, Peter Ashton & Norman Hogg

Edward Malpass & Alec Edwards

Phil Harrison

Malcolm Kennedy

Piano

Margaret Parkes

Wizard Sound

Vivian Catteral

Freda Spickernell, Joan Speke and Jane Fearnall

Properties

Andy & Elizabeth Johnson

Prompt

Alvin Mansfield

 Muriel Ellis, Sean Denny, Joanne Walford, Claire Walford, Louise Walford, Martin Burroughs, Anne Burroughs, Marion Hill, Elizabeth Reeves, Doug Allport, Margit Green, Audrey Pamphilon, Jane Conway, Hannah Beaman, Charlotte Beaman, Hannah Jones, Mark Jones.

Alan Walford, Dave Garbett, Roger Gibson, John Ridley, Albert Cornes, Richard Morris. 

Triple 'C'

Scenic &Property Hire