2006

Cinderella & the Space Pirates - The Ballad of Tom & Martha
 - Johnny Don't Jump

Cinderella & the Space Pirates

Directed by Doug Fox Roberts

Backstage Theatre Jan 21-28 2006  

'Backstage wins again with a terrific Panto performance'
                                        (From the Longford Leader)

One of the Backstage Theatre Group's most successful innovations has been  to run an annual Pantomime and the latest offering runs nightly this week up until Saturday night. This year's offering from writer and director Doug Fox Robert takes the cast to outer space literally and in the best tradition of the Panto it is a top class night's entertainment for all - but most especially children, or the very young at heart.

The Panto concept follows a tried and tested formula and Doug appears to have it down to a fine art at this stage and his space age treatment of the age old Cinderella story kept us all intrigued and amused throughout.  

The main character is of course Cinderella. Think Cinderella and you immediately think Janet Gilmore, who makes the role her own and manages great stage presence throughout in spite of stern and hilarious performances from several secondary characters.   If you don't know the story of Cinderella, then there's not a lot we can do for you and there's really no point in rehashing the plot of this year's Panto, except to say that the drama is moved into deep space and the mean baddy this time is a nasty Cap’n Slash, a feared pirate, who has terrorised the galaxy. The role was seemingly tailor made for Niamh Donlon.

Cinderella's lot isn't an easy one as she cooks and cleans the space ship for her mammy (aka Paul Higgins - who gets more like a women with each Panto) and her three strapping step sisters. Paul O'Regan, Declan Donohoe and Michael Wall are expertly cast as the three ugly sisters and they are a hugely entertaining part of the show. This particular role isn't a new one for Michael Wall, who is brilliant again this year whilst we'll remember Declan Donohoe (yes, the Barber) from the lead role in Jock last year.  Very impressive in his panto debut was Paul O'Regan. John Kelly and Joanne Muldowney are the aliens who join us at various stages of the night to update us on the story and this they do very effectively. Frank Farrell pulls off his role as the slightly dysfunctional but loveable robot brilliantly whilst Niall Gannon is an unlikely but loveable Fairy Godmum in very suspicious tights for a big Leitrim fella.

Of course no Fairy Mum can travel without assistants and the Elder Fairies were Dee Butt and Andrew Reynolds. There's a great family tradition in the Backstage and it was great to see Dee's son, Luke in Cap’n Slash's gang whilst Doug Fox Roberts' daughter, Lorelei was another of the vicious pirates. Jim Davey is a firm Panto favourite and is excellent as the Emperor's messenger whilst Orlaith Mc Loughin is a very dashing and dapper assistant (Jolly Roger) to Cap’n Slash.

You can't have a Cinderella without a Prince Charming and the role was written was one of the most charming, Christian Dann, who doubtlessly spent months perfecting that stage entrance to the theme from Titanic! Christian is a great talent and he shines is any role.

You cannot find fault with this show. The costumes are brilliant and the set and lighting lends great authenticity to the proceedings throughout. Patrina Prunty and Lorelei Fox Roberts did brilliantly with the choreography. It takes a huge amount of commitment and effort to put a show like this together and all involved are to be commended.  Again it was heartening to see so many young people involved and its proof positive that the future of the Theatre Group is rosey. 

All these youngsters deserve a special mention and for those not already mentioned, Kevin Farrell, Elaine Clarke, Josephine Halton, Nikki O'Byrne, Aisling McCarthy, Jonathen Coppinger, Rackel Keenan and Grainne O'Reilly were fearsome pirates whilst Sinead McCarrick, Caoimhe Glacken and Damien Rhatigan were fearless Palace Guards and bringing style and a unqiue sense of glamour to the occasion as party guests were Emily Coe, Jessica McCaul, Katia Yazigi, Sharon Sorohan, Christine Tully, Jack Considine, Maria Kelleher, Darren Yorke, Emer Muldoon and Caisin Nic An Bheatha. Phew!!!!!!!

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The Ballad of Tom & Martha

Directed by Brendan Williams

The ballad of Tom and Martha is written by Brendan Williams a member of BTG and is inspired by Tom Waits’ simple piano ballad ‘Martha’. We are introduced to the elder Tom, played by John Kelly, as he sits waiting in a minimalist coffee shop. Martha, as played by Eileen Murphy, soon wanders in and takes her place alongside Tom.

The audience immediately feels the tension that exists between the couple and wonders what could have gone wrong. The imaginative and poetic Tom is wonderfully portrayed as a broken man by John Kelly. Eileen Murphy delivered an equally impeccable performance as the heartbroken Martha, still very much affected by the break up with Tom all those years ago.

Tom Waits’ ‘Martha’ provides an appropriate backing lyric throughout the play and the lyrics coincide with the action onstage. ‘Operator number please, it’s been so many years. Will she remember my old voice while I fight the tears?’   It seems the Martha remembers Tom all too clearly and it is obvious that the ice between old Tom Frost and Martha is unlikely to melt at this late stage in their lives. The Ballad of Tom and Martha is a truly believable tale of the one that got away and almost everybody can identify with it.

As the present day Tom and Martha are left in the darkness we are introduced to the young couple as played by Davy Flaherty and Liz Leavy. They are full of love and hopes and dreams.   Tom has written a poem and they can barely tear themselves away. The audience is kept in suspense regarding the reason for the tension between the older couple as Martha explains she can still remember that poem and recites it, tearfully, word for word.   Tom emerges as a bit of a wimp, full of poetry, ideas and romance but ends up with nothing. Martha knows that if he truly loved her, he would never have left her in the first instance.

A delightful performance from a thoroughly believable cast and I left with the distinct feeling that perhaps I am better off without the one that got away after all.

  Jennifer O’Brien

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Johnny Don't Jump

Directed by Paul Higgins

Johnny Don’t Jump was written by Alan Ogden and directed by Paul Higgins. The main role of Johnny is played by Christian Dann, who does a fantastic job in characterising the suicidal young man.   We are first introduced to Johnny as he climbs onto the top of a building, with the intention of leaping to his death. As he is sitting on the edge to write a farewell note to his mother, the audience is introduced to Johnny’s humour. Tyrone, a maintenance man played by Paul O’Regan, then appears on set and from the very beginning he draws the audience in to his comical lines.

The conversation flows very naturally between the pair, as Johnny tells Tyrone that he is about to jump. Tyrone soon alerts the police and then enters the dry, yet hilarious, character of PC Green, as played by Mark Loftus.   PC Green is your average young police officer, with very little sense of authority and a dry sense of humour, which the audience soon takes to. Despite having just one setting for the play, the characters use the stage well and their personalities distract from the location.

One by one, you are introduced to the cast as they join Johnny on the roof. Niamh Donlon, who plays a journalist/photographer from the Daily Trumpet, adds another dimension of humour in the form of Judy Parker, who offers Johnny money for his story. Donlon adapts well to the role and creates a real sense of drama. Then we had the rather nervous vicar appearing on the roof, beautifully portrayed by Peter Kilemade, to try and talk Johnny down. The fear in his expression led us all to believe that he was on the side of a rather tall building as was the sense of relief he expressed when he did climb back in the window again.

Johnny mentions his girl friend, Eileen, early in the play, but there is little mention of her before her arrival on stage. Janette Gilmore does a fantastic job in characterising Eileen and her bimbo like personality adds to the hilarity of the play.

Next we have the arrival of Raymond, superbly played by Declan Donohoe. He is a pushy youth who empathises with Johnny and decides that he will join him in a double suicide. Johnny is not having it, but Raymond is soon smitten by the beautiful Eileen, and they both head off together for a coffee, leaving us all feeling a little sorry for Johnny. There is also a huge build up to the arrival of Johnny’s mother on stage and their broken relationship is well documented before she eventually takes to the roof.

Josephine Lane-Flynn is perfect in the role and the audience greeted her humour immediately. Her natural stage presence comes across powerfully, and with Johnny, the pair create a comical scene. In the end Johnny decides not to jump and to instead, follow a stunt-man dream with PC Green, the perfect original ending, to an extremely and humorous play.

Cast:
Johnny	Christian Dann
Tyrone	Paul O'Regan
PC Green	Mark Loftus
Judy Parker	Niamh Donlon
Rev Robinson	Peter Kilemade
Eileen	Janette Gilmore
Raymond	Declan Donohoe
Mum	Josephine Lane

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