It was all aboard for the latest outing from GASP!, as the group brought Gilbert and Sullivan’s nautical favourite HMS Pinafore to their home venue of Bembridge Village Hall last week. With a cast featuring some of the island’s finest operatic voices, and a production that had already sold out before opening night, expectations were high. Thankfully, this was a show that delivered on them, hook, line and sinker.
Gilbert and Sullivan may not be to everyone’s taste, but there is something wonderfully familiar about settling in for two hours of witty dialogue, comic mishaps and tunes that remain firmly lodged in the head long after the final curtain. Blending operetta with pantomime frivolity, this was an entertaining evening that clearly appealed across the generations, based on the audience in attendance of all ages.
At the helm was Andy Kay, in fine voice as Captain Corcoran and demonstrating a strong command of the stage. Alongside him, Rob Bingham and Lucy Hinkley made an engaging pair of star-crossed lovers as Ralph and Josephine, both effortlessly showcasing their vocal ability.
John Abraham’s Sir Joseph had more than a hint of Kenneth Williams about him, with innuendo aplenty and plenty of opportunity for audience sniggers throughout the evening. It was a performance that leaned happily into the comic side of the character.
Abbi Leverton brought both comedy and sweetness to the role of Little Buttercup, combining some lovely vocals with an appealing stage presence. Her character’s eventual revelation prompted more than a few questioning looks from the audience, though – and quite what moisturiser Buttercup uses remains a mystery. Asking for a friend, obviously…..
As Dick Deadeye, Graham Light made the most of the character’s glares and growls. The choreography for ‘Carefully on tiptoe stealing’ was particularly effective, with Deadeye’s interruptions adding another layer of humour to the scene. I’m assured that no real cats were harmed in the production!
The lead cast was ably supported by Paul Stevens as Bill, Anita Davies as Hebe, Tim Martin as Bob and Peter Gilmore as Tommy. There were genuinely beautiful moments of singing throughout the evening, greatly enhanced by the wealth of vocal talent on stage. GASP clearly has some heavyweight singers in its ranks, and they handled Gilbert and Sullivan’s often intricate scores with confidence.
With a sizeable chorus, the stage occasionally felt rather crowded – although quite how everyone managed to fit on there at times was a feat in itself. Debbie Small’s choreography consequently remained fairly simple, but it was effective and supported the storytelling, with nobody putting a foot wrong… Well, hardly ever…..
The chorus sound was resonant and well supported by pianist and musical director Catherine Clark, whose accompaniment provided a solid musical foundation throughout.
Visually, the production was a delight. The set was richly detailed and even featured an actual swing (!), while the resplendent costumes and wigs were every bit as colourful and theatrical as regular GASP audiences have come to expect.
Director Andrew Wilson Jenner landed the anchor in just the right spot, bringing together a confident cast, imaginative design and strong musical performances for another successful G&S production.
For a company staging a well-loved classic in a village hall, GASP once again demonstrated that you don’t need a grand theatre to create an enjoyable night of musical theatre. With plenty of laughs, impressive singing and a generous helping of Gilbert and Sullivan charm, HMS Pinafore proved to be a thoroughly entertaining voyage.
