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Webmaster Brian Moss © Maidstone Operatic revised July ‘08

Dennis Fowle - Downs Mail - Reviews - PAJAMA GAME - 2008

Sid (David Rowe) and Babe (Nicole Roberts) soon won the hearts of Hazlitt audiences and this ensured another hit for Maidstone Amateur Operatic Society with its 1950’s American Midwest musical, The Pajama Game.

This talented society has been bringing top musicals and light opera to the town since 1898 and a reprt that its popularity is waning causes concern - and rightly brought a rapid correction.

The Pajama Game may not have quite the same reputation as some of the post-war shows. But there are several songs which have survived the test of half a century (Hernando’s Hideaway, Hey There, You with the Stars in Your Eyes and Steam Heat for example) and after a gentle start the society hit all the right notes.

The story is a management-union battle in pajama manufacturers over seven-and-a-half cents and hour increase. This gets seriously in the way of an attraction between top manager Sid and top activist Babe. David and Nicole made an attractive couple whose acting and voices made the show.

There was plenty of strong support - especially from Julie Argent (what a performance in Hernado’s Hideaway), Kthleen Neaves (Mabel), John Brooks (Hasler), Alan Casey Cavell (Hines) and Chris Chedsey (Prez).

Director Tony Cassidy and choreographer Nicky Ansell faced many chorus challenges on the small Hazlitt stage. They did well. Perhaps one day Maidstone will beable to offer more space.

JOHN MUNSON – DOWNS MAIL – Reviews – FIDDLER ON THE ROOF - 2007

What a singer! What a Maidstone Operatic show! Alan Casey-Cavell carried off the part of Tevye, the milkman in Fiddler on the Roof in triumph. So many memorable songs.

Alan was a member of a strong singing and acting cast. Matthew Nye as Mozel and Julie Argent as Tzeitel were the lovely innocents in their duet ‘Miracle of Miracles’. I liked Ricky Smith as Perchik and Carley Bright as Hodel in their duet ‘Now I have everything’. Ricky looked every inch the radical; Carley the rebel sweetheart.

The solos were sung so very well and the singers acted superbly. But in this show it wasn’t just the lead singers carrying the rest, the company worked with such zest.

The choreography and dancing in the opening ‘Tradition’, started the show with a real bang. The scene in the inn with dancing and confrontation with the Russian villagers swung along with great energy.

The dream sequence with Julie Argent’s terrifying ghost, was yet another brilliantly performed whole company spectacular.

Tony Cassidy directed this enjoyable show with John Mills musical director and Nicky Ansell choreographer. The hidden orchestra played con brio and costumes, set, lighting all worked well.

DENNIS FOWLE – DOWNS MAIL – Reviews – GUYS & DOLLS – 2006

Hit the Top

I never put Guys and Dolls in my top shows – until Maidstone Amateur Operatic Society changed all that with a wonderful presentation which stunned Hazlitt audiences for a week.

The society’s shows regularly reach a level which makes them a treasured part of the local entertainment scene – now a new standard has been set.

An already talented society has attracted new blood and director Tony Cassidy blended it all into a remarkable, varied, unforgettable show. What a wonderful mix of acting, singing, dancing, music, colour and glamour – all projected with such skill and confidence.

It was a tough show on the small Hazlitt stage, especially with the band there too with the dancing girls and guys. But it all came off.

Neil Stevens was magnetic as leading man Sky Masterson and Julie Argent played up to him wonderfully as Salvation Armyist Sarah Brown. What an acting, dancing, singing talent is Tracey Catchpole (Miss Adelaide) who finally hooked her artful Nathan (Chris Chedzey)

Another real talent is Alan Casey-Cavell whose Nicely Nicely Johnson wowed everyone with ‘Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat’ – several times over.

Nicky Ansell has joined as dancing choreographer and her gorgeous, colourful dames with a largely mature chorus of gambling guys were this year’s new bonus.

Hope you didn’t miss it.

DENNIS FOWLE - DOWNS MAIL - Reviews - TRIAL BY JURY and HMS PINAFORE  - 2005 - 

Raunchy Trial by Jury

Maidstone Amateur Operatic Society bravely risked breaking very new ground for hundreds of devotees with a modern raunchy version of Gibert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury at the Hazlitt Theatre.

Now these ever-popular operas are well past their copyright controls producers and directors are having fun - and Maidstone ran riot. Gilbert would probably have had a ball, Sullivan apoplexy.

No decorum at all was retained in this court room - with judge, jury, lawyers, plaintiffs and defendants all worthy of anti-social behaviour orders.

The scantily-dressed ladies were sexy and fun and Robin Fosdal was ‘a very good judge too’ But it did not quite come off Gilbert’s clever words were difficult to hear above the bedlam - and that’s a serious loss.

The society struck much more closely to tradition with the evening’s main fare - HMS Pinafore - and the seas were smooth.

Most of the society’s sailors certainly belong to the Senior Service and they made a super crew.

Julie Argent sang her heart out as Joephine got her man - and the English gentleman. Chris Chedzey with a distinct accent from the valleys brought the house down when he produced a little Welsh Dragon flag from his pocket.

The precise timing of much of the choreography was another feature of a very enjoyable show.

JOHN MUNSON - DOWNS MAIL- Reviews - KISS ME, KATE   - 2004-

Of all the dozens of people listed in the show’s programme for Maidstone Operatic’s ‘Kiss Me Kate’ director Tony Cassidy and musical director John Mills have to be thanked especially for giving us such a magnificent evening out. It was a brilliant show.

Whether it was the chorus giving us colour and characterisation, or dancers twisting and swinging across the Hazlitt stage and all of them so transmitting their enjoyment to us, it was great to be there and they made it look so easy.

And what a cast. The full houses loved them all.

The principals were a joy, with Neil Stevens as Petruchio giving us a wonderfully swashbuckling, ‘I’ve come to wive it weathily in Padua’ and an oh! so tender ‘So in love’. Great singing.. Great acting.

Sue Barnes (Kate) also had the listeners in the palm of her hand when she sang ‘So in love’ and then belted out ‘I hate men’.

Tracey Catchpole, well known for her straight acting, gave a demonstration of her talent as Bianca. In a fantastic blonde wig (it looked real), we got ‘Always true to you in my fashion’ in a Bronx accent.

Jeremy Druce, Julie Argent, Anton Christmas, Mike Sutton, Ken Trafford all gave tremendous team support and Mike Codling and Robin Fosdal as the two gangsters were sublime.