**** (4 stars)
“A treat of a musical comedy caper!”
Linlithgow Amateur Musical Productions affectionally known as LAMP bring the curtain down on there 40th Anniversary year with a spritely new production of the Cole Porter Classic, Anything Goes running this week in the towns Academy Theatre.
Anything Goes recently marked its 90th Anniversary with the original show debuting on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre (Now the Neal Simon Theatre) it would spawn no less that three film adaptations 1936, 1956 (The Bing Crosby classic) and 2021. It’s also been adapted for tv three times.
It was the widely successful 1987 Broadway revival that continues to be used today with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and a new book by Timothy Crouse & John Weidman based on the original by P.G. Woodhouse & Guy Bolton its that version that LAMP directed by Hannah Easton, Choreography by Hayley Fleming and Musical Direction by Eddie MacLennan bring to the stage in a show that is truly a treat of a musical comedy caper.
The show tells the story of Billy Crocker (Mark Wilson in a peerlessly delivered performance) who stows away aboard the S.S American as it sails across the Atlantic from New York To London he falls in love with Hope Harcourt (Mhairi Urquhart in fine form) but she is being forced by her overbearing mother to marry someone else. America’s 13th most wanted criminal Moonface Martin (John Knox in a show stealing performance) is also aboard and Billy enlists him to win the arm of his true love. What follows is situation comedy in musical form of false identities, cross wires and wondering if true love will win out! Fame, infamy and human spirit in a show that’s still as funny now as it was all those years ago when it debuted.
The impressively large cast deliver a punchy performance across the board, and the leads are all excellent especially Mark Wilson, his Billy Crocker has real charm, and a honey-soaked vocals. John Knox really does steal the show a comedic tour de force turn. Mhairi Urquhart brings a lovely sense of innocence to the role of Hope Harcourt and Fiona Scott nails the role of Reno Sweeney perfectly turning in a brassy and bravura performance.
The company truly do shine especially in the show piece full cast show stopping numbers, Blow Gabriel Blow is the sparkling jewel in the show and gives any west end or touring company a run for there money. There are some issues with accents though, not everyone is up to delivering the American accents but many cast members really need to choose one accent and stick with it throughout the show.
Production wise John Knox’s set design makes the best of the space and gets the balance between nautical ship and luxury liner right. This is enhanced by MM Sound and Lighting, Lighting design. The lighting especially brings a rich pallet of colour. The sound had a few sticky moments but soon smoothed out and the balance between the onstage performers and the excellent 9-piece pit orchestra under the baton of musical director Eddie MacLennan is faultless.
Lamp have delivered a show that is fitting to see out their anniversary year and you can’t help leaving the theatre with smile and humming the tunes. It clear those on stage are reveling in the spotlight and that infectiousness is greeted warmly by the audience for show that provides a quality night of musical theatre! Well done LAMP for proving for 40 years and many more to come that Anything Goes!
LAMP Presents Anything Goes, Linlithgow Academy Theatre, Linlithgow runs until Saturday 25th October for more information and tickets go to: Anything Goes – Linlithgow Amateur Musical Production
ScotsGay Arts 