THIS spring sees Wisbech Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society members burst on to the stage with the lively musical "The Boyfriend" directed by Barbara Mews.
Performances are at the Thomas Clarkson Community College from May 27 to 31.
The action takes place at Madame Dubonnet’s finishing school for young English ladies outside Nice on the French Riviera in 1926. Her pupils are excited by a carnival bal
l that evening – madcap Maisie plans to juggle her dancing partners, but sweet Polly Browne awaits her boyfriend’s arrival from Paris.
Actually, he’s an imaginary boyfriend – Polly’s millionaire father is suspicious of fortune-hunters and forbids her to meet young men.
Her father, Percival, arrives at the School and Madame Dubonnet recognises him immediately as her ‘petit Percy’.
They knew each other in youthful days, and slowly rekindle their romance.
When a charming messenger called Tony delivers her costume, Polly impulsively invites him to accompany her to the ball. But is he really a messenger boy?
It is a very different type of show to last year’s successful but sombre “The King and I”.
“The Boyfriend” is packed with fast and colourful numbers such as ‘Perfect Young Ladies’, ‘Won’t You Charleston With Me?’, ‘Sur Le Place’, ‘Safety In Numbers’ and ‘The Riviera’.
The cast includes some familiar faces as well as some new: Hortense – Helen Jones, Maisie – Jemma Matten, Dulcie – Teresa Hudson, Fay – Sharon Ashman,
Nancy – Erin Bothemley, Evie – Julie Collins, Bea – Hannah Clayton, Faith – Suzanne Curson, Polly Browne – Jo Sherry, Marcel – Alan Hanrahan, Pierre – Joe Mason-Smith, Alphonse – Nick Hall, Madame Dubonnet – Mary Conway, Bobby van Husen – Phill Ashman, Percival Browne – Ron Thurston, Tony – David Brammer, Lord Brockhurst – Mark Fearnley, Lady Brockhurst – Val Standen, Marie – Ann Shippey, Alice – Eileen Betts, Stella – Eunice Bennifer.
Musical director is Mark Checkley.
The Society last performed “The Boyfriend” in 1982 and several of the current cast and crew were involved in that production.
Director Barbara Mews was the dance mistress, current props master, John Richmond played ‘Pepe’, Mary Conway played ‘Fay’, Teresa Hudson was 'Dulcie' and Ann Shippey reprises her role as ‘Marie’, one of the Finishing School’s formidable mesdames.
The Society has tried to make the venue feel as much like a theatre as possible, with raised seating, blacked out windows, professional lighting and sound and a licensed bar.
Tickets are £12 for the raised seating and £10 for the flat, call the Box Office on 07776-318309 or 01945-870393 or 01945-582758 or call in at the Box Office, in Etcetera, York Row, Wisbech from May 19 between 10am to 3pm Monday – Saturday.
The full article contains 443 words and appears in Fenland Citizen newspaper.
