[First filed: February 13, 2009 @ 12:05]
Last night I was lucky to go along to the dress rehearsal of Free Rain’s Guys and Dolls which is opening at The Q (Queanbeyan’s shiny new theatre complex) tonight.
Loesser’s musical is an archetypal Broadway show with singing, dancing, and the requirement for some serious acting chops too.
The band is big brassy, and booms out of the dedicated orchestra pit in a way one expects with so many members of the RMC Band moonlighting in this production.
There’s not much Free Rain can do about the show lagging in the first act, that’s just the way it’s written. But after the intermission the action heats up and the big songs arrive.
I was really struck by the total quality of this production. Costumes, choreography, and casting combined with clever set design and well executed lighting.
A gorgeous cast of characters who can all sing, dance and act made the most of the production for a really enjoyable evening.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Guys and Dolls it’s set in New York in the 1950s and is a tale of gambling, crime, love, deception, salvation, and of course, the theatre.
Without meaning to detract from a host of great performances standouts for mine were Adrian Flor as Sky, and Georgia Pike as Adelaide.
It’s running until Saturday 28 February. Performance times and booking details can be had from The Q’s website.
Slideshow below: