Get Your Wigle on Present…
The Full Monty
Theatre Severn
Wednesday 5th…Saturday 8th July
(Matinee Saturday 8th 14:30hrs.)
Bertolt Brecht once argued that to watch an amateur performance was the exact way to watch the alienation technique. He wasn’t being complimentary as he claimed amateur performers have an inability to completely emerge and consequently display an alienation from the part. He was wrong.
To watch the “Get Your Wigle on,” in tonight’s performance was a wonderful contradiction to the pretentious remarks of Bertolt Brecht. This reviewer has never seen a show where the players are so emerged, that for a couple of hours one is taken from the leafy lanes of Shrewsbury to a completely different place. Buffalo U.S.A.
Aficionado’s will remember the original film was set in Sheffield and looked at Thatcher’s Britain, the steel was gone and the boys were left broken. Would it transpose to an American setting. The answer is a complete YES! Hardship is the same wherever in the globe one is. So, the text converts well into an American Setting.
One has always got to watch accents when a play is set abroad. This reviewer is so convinced by accents used that one could easily believe it was an all-American cast. It was so very well done by all.
Naturally with a cast of this size one would be here all night and day writing the review so for the sake of brevity I will pick out some beautiful bits of characterisation. Ian Murphy plays Jerry so well. One can feel the sadness and desperation in his character. He sings so well too. (In fact, they all do.)
Adam Langford found a lovable warmth about his character, Dave. Compromised between working at the Walmart or sticking with the lads, he won the audience over and they all really wanted what was best for Dave. Poor overweight Dave and his issues. One felt for him. James Broxton and Ross Wigley as Malcolm and Ethan shared a beautifully tender moment at Malcolm’s Mother’s funeral, and they sang so well together. There were a few tears being fought back around the auditorium and that right there is the power of theatre. If the emotion of the moment pours off the stage and into the audience’s psyche they are getting it right. Getting it right they did on a large scale. Reiss Mc.Sporran's Harold was caught just right. His desperation because of perceived pressure from his wife, was palpable and one felt for him.
The Girls too were so well cast everyone fitted their roles. Amy Tennant’s Georgie is strong, strident and confident; a safe pair of hands to engage the audience from the start and she did. Lisa van der Horst found a beautiful pathos as Vicki, a wife coming to terms with her husband’s deception over the past six months. Understanding that people do lose their jobs and can’t tell the family, instead keep up the pretence of going to work each day. This has happened in the UK several times and I’m sure in America too.
Noah Fisher was excellent as the much beleaguered and slightly manipulated son Nathan. Age dictates that he can only do a certain number of performances so the role is shared with Patrick Davies who I’m sure, if as well cast as the rest, he too will be excellent.
There isn’t a weak member of cast, and one was delighted to watch the A. game from all players.
Ross Wigley, is there no end to his talent? Not only does he play Ethan but also co-directed the play with Jodie Welch, who also played Joannie. But it doesn’t end there, he also choreographed the dances and always brings such an air of professionality to the stage that he can raise the game even higher, but everyone does the same. Great work from Ross.
The show was dressed well, the set well-conceived, and the music direction and choreography are top drawer and no mistake. As we come to music there is nothing this reviewer likes more than live music accompaniment. Orchestra pit full and sounding superb. Well done to Chris Lewis for providing such a great sounding score.
The Wigles as they affectionately known, always pull a great show out of the bag: But in this reviewer’s opinion this is one of the best show’s I have seen them perform. This is truly great musical theatre, I have said this before, and I will again. Shrewsbury are so lucky to have such a dedicated and committed bunch of players, in fact Shrewsbury is lucky to have the Wigles. Well done guys keep it up!
This is A Five-Star review.
Sofia Lewis
Sofia is a successful playwright living in Shrewsbury. After graduating from Wolverhampton University in theatre. Sofia went on to become an actor and film maker. Her first play was published in 2015 and her plays have been seen all around the world. She is also the instigator of the popular concerts, The Sound Of Shrewsbury Folk. She has been writing with loveshrewsbury for 13 years and loves Theatre Severn and all she sees there.
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