Annie Get Your Gun
23rd to 27th October 2012
About this show
When Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show comes into town, Annie Oakley quickly falls in love with the show's sharpshooter, Frank Butler. Annie, an amazing sharpshooter herself, joins the show so she can win Frank. Unfortunately for Annie, Frank wants a more feminine woman and not a tomboy, gun-toting dame. Further, the fact that she can shoot better than Frank makes her his enemy. In the end, Annie lets Frank win in the sharpshooting contest. As a result, he falls in love with Annie and the two sharpshooters get married. |
Principle Photos
A review of Annie Get You Gun by Stweart Adkins
IMOG showed its audience that There’s No Business Like Show Business with a highly entertaining production that was lively as it was colourful. A company of more than thirty folks, including four highly promising youngsters playing Annie’s little brothers and sisters, created effective tableaux throughout the big production numbers but especially at the end of Scene 1. Splitting the ensemble into movers and dancers meant that there was never a dull moment as the dancers pursued the more formal choreography against a backdrop of movement and armography from the ensemble. All credit to the highly athletic Michael Johnson for his dancing during the Indian Ceremonial but I wonder whether some discreet trimming of the music might have been helpful since this number did seem a trifle long and repetitive.
Liz Gibson was totally engaging as Annie; her smile lit up her face which was always so expressive. A natural comedienne she also sang well and the rapport with the audience was just right, never overdone or milked. Ms Gibson displayed great chemistry with Allen Clark as Frank Butler, who had a strong voice and good acting skills, and whose slightly dour, macho aspect complemented Liz’s bright and optimistic characterisation. Richard Pennicard did well as the hard-headed showman, Charlie Davenport and Carole Cooney as Dolly Tate maintained her meddling but somehow likeable persona to the end. The supporting cast were good and the overall impression was bright, pacy and fun.
I had misgivings at first that the orchestral sound would be thin with just six players but it was only the overture that missed out. The balance of sound between stage and pit during the sung numbers was excellent and the compromise worked out. Audibility was good overall and while rifle mikes at floor level were obvious I didn’t spot radio mikes; if they were used they were subtle. Scene changes were smooth and Paul Lazell’s sets were excellent as were the costumes. I must compliment the timing of the gunshots. This is hard to get right but worked well.
It may be interesting to relate that I spoke with a member of the audience before the show whose perception was that there weren’t many well-known numbers in Annie Get Your Gun and that this may reflect badly on the show. He has since retracted that opinion having heard so many favourites and clearly enjoyed the whole production. I have seen this show once already this year and confess to having held a similar view to my friend in the audience prior to watching it. Afterwards I changed my mind and was delighted that this production was as enjoyable as the first.
For two hours and twenty minutes I sat with a smile on my face as the performance unfolded and then came to a happy ending. This was a good first night that no doubt heralds a great week for all involved.
Reviewer – Stewart Adkins
Regional Representative District 8
NODA East
Liz Gibson was totally engaging as Annie; her smile lit up her face which was always so expressive. A natural comedienne she also sang well and the rapport with the audience was just right, never overdone or milked. Ms Gibson displayed great chemistry with Allen Clark as Frank Butler, who had a strong voice and good acting skills, and whose slightly dour, macho aspect complemented Liz’s bright and optimistic characterisation. Richard Pennicard did well as the hard-headed showman, Charlie Davenport and Carole Cooney as Dolly Tate maintained her meddling but somehow likeable persona to the end. The supporting cast were good and the overall impression was bright, pacy and fun.
I had misgivings at first that the orchestral sound would be thin with just six players but it was only the overture that missed out. The balance of sound between stage and pit during the sung numbers was excellent and the compromise worked out. Audibility was good overall and while rifle mikes at floor level were obvious I didn’t spot radio mikes; if they were used they were subtle. Scene changes were smooth and Paul Lazell’s sets were excellent as were the costumes. I must compliment the timing of the gunshots. This is hard to get right but worked well.
It may be interesting to relate that I spoke with a member of the audience before the show whose perception was that there weren’t many well-known numbers in Annie Get Your Gun and that this may reflect badly on the show. He has since retracted that opinion having heard so many favourites and clearly enjoyed the whole production. I have seen this show once already this year and confess to having held a similar view to my friend in the audience prior to watching it. Afterwards I changed my mind and was delighted that this production was as enjoyable as the first.
For two hours and twenty minutes I sat with a smile on my face as the performance unfolded and then came to a happy ending. This was a good first night that no doubt heralds a great week for all involved.
Reviewer – Stewart Adkins
Regional Representative District 8
NODA East