Lytham St Annes Express, 17 October 2013

The NODA review of Patience -

As Gilbert and Sullivan is one of my favourite genres I was looking forward to an evening with Marton Operatic Society and a thoroughly enjoyable evening it turned out to be. The excellent orchestra under the Direction of Tim Dagger set the mood with a first  class Overture and then the curtains parted onto a very warm and welcoming set. "Patience" has never been one of my favourite pieces, probably because of the strange story line but as the ladies and gentlemen of the chorus introduced us to the excellent musical score I began to look forward to the remainder of the evening. I was not disappointed! Ken Dagger, Director has a wealth of experience and this was certainly on show. He ensured that the pace never flagged and his portrayal of the role of "Bunthorne" was a lesson to all aspiring G&S performers. Jacqui Cookson as "Patience" sang beautifully and I loved her "Jane Horrocks" accent in her dialogue. Having taken over the role of "The Lady Jane" at very short notice Jacqui Veazey could be forgiven if she had encountered any problems. Just the opposite! She showed her complete knowledge of the character and her love of this kind of theatre was obvious. I was fascinated by the beautifully flowing use of her hands and arms. The female chorus looked lovely and moved fluidly but at times, I was disappointed with their diction. They sang well but it is so important that we hear the words. The male chorus had some strong voices and looked confident. The costume department has done so well with this show. The ladies looked lovely and the men so smart in their army uniforms. The Director must be pleased with the end result of his obvious hard work although I am sure he never considered the visit of the splendid moth which appeared to want to take part !!!! All in all a lovely evening. Thank you for your warm welcome.