July 25 – 26 -27 2019 McKinght Theater Maitland

Calendar Girls’, which will run from April 27-29 at the McKnight Theatre, Maitland. Tickets are available online at https://www.trybooking.com/UFXE 

This production is a fund raising joint venture with Ardrossan Angles & The Maitland Progress Association

The Adult production of Annie

Bookings for The Maitland Youth Theatre production of ‘Robin and the Sherwood Hoodies’ are now open at TryBooking.Com.

The show premieres at the Maitland McKnight Theatre on Friday September 25 at 7.30pm.

MMAC’s latest show, ‘The 39 Steps’.

By Arrangement with Edward Snape for Fiery Angel Limited

The Maitland Music & Arts Club proudly presents

John Buchan & Alfred Hitchcock’s
THE 39 STEPS
Directed by Leanne Cane
Adapted by Patrick Barlow from an original concept by Simon Corble & Nobby Dimon
7.30pm Maitland Area School
Performing Arts Centre
Thursday April 10 | Friday April 11 | Saturday April 12
Adults $12 – Concessions $10
Tickets available from  Jayne’s Country Classics 38 Robert Street Maitland 8832 2662

Let’s hear it for Leanne Cane. She’s the best director of musical theatre in SA. Her production of the seminal musical and Broadway fable “Guys And Dolls” for the venerable, energised Maitland Music and Arts Club at he McKnight Theatre (one of my favourite theatres in SA) is joy unconfined. Jubilant. Mrs Cane understands how to entertain. She understands style.

This is a highly entertaining, accomplished production which unites a community the length and breadth of the peninsula. One hopes the Yorke Peninsula understands the treasure it has in Leanne Cane.

Frank Loesser’s vintage musical is theatrical gold. It has one of the great scores and one of the great books. It has great lines; “His wife’s having a baby. He’s very nervous. It’s his first wife” and “Two things have been in every hotel room in the country. Sky Masterson and a Gideon Bible”. “Fugue For Tinhorns” is one of he great openers and every song is a winning post. Loesser was a genius although his unpopular wife was known as “the evil of two Loessers”.

However, like the seats at the McKnight Theatre (hopefully the council will contribute to new seats) “Guys And Dolls” is showing it’s age and would benefit from judicious cutting. The “Runyonland” fantasia at the top of the show and reprised at the end to cover a costume change should be excised.

It’s soft-soaped Broadway underworld with an unwilling but charming suitor (Nathan Detroit) and his nightclub entertainer fiance of fourteen years, Miss Adelaide and star-crossed lovers, gambler Sky Masterson and quasi Salvationist Sarah Brown. Fun and games. Plus a requisite hymeneal ending.

As Sky Masterson, Seb Cooper is cool personified. He’s insouciant and so enjoyable. This fine, tryo singer and actor opposite the sympathetic and lovely Jess Brown as Sarah Brown give the best and most persuasive performances. Both have star quality.

Johnny Gorden (OK) is a natty Nathan Detroit and funny. Paul Hayles is a thin Nicely-Nicely Johnson who. as ever, fills the stage with charm and good spirit. Good to see the stalwart Craig “Woody” Woodward back  and the veteran Greg Twelftree owns the stage as the elder Salvationist and his beautiful lullaby “More I Cannot Give You” is beautifully poignant, well sung and a high point of the show. Twelftree is a trouper. There is no higher praise.

Bob Turbefield excels (almost alarmingly) as a stage drunk and brings the house down. The outrageously talented Jessamy Cane, despite being too young for Miss Adelaide continues to steal everything that isn’t nailed down. She is wonderful but less is often more.

Di Morgan’s orchestra grows in strength and quality. It’s excellent if occasionally too loud but it competes with unnecessarily amplified singers. Performers do not need microphones in the McKnight Theatre unless it’s a rock musical. “Guys And Dolls” is the rock of ages. Performers make the common mistake of thinking that the microphone gives them a performance whereas it merely amplifies what they put in it. There’s a lot to be said for projection.

The costumes are superb with one alarming exception. Jessamy Cane’s costumes.  Fortunately they improve as the evening progresses. Often her frocks are alarmingly eccentric, anachronistic and attention grabbing.

How pleasing that after a rapturously received great night out that three troupers without whom there would be no show or Maitland Music and Arts Club were accorded life membership; Ashley Nankivell, lighting designer, Roger Morgan, stage manager and piano man Peter Hollams. A welcome recognition of great service after a jubilant show, a fine meal at the Yorke Valley Hotel in good company. Leanne Cane you’ve done it again. Bravo!