BACK TO THE 80S
Friday night and everyone’s movin’… Thursday night too, and Wednesday, and Tuesday, not forgetting the matinee and the dress rehearsal. Oh yes, it was like I’d never been middle aged (you’re old, Dad) and we were all back (well, some of us) in our youth, with the youth. The youth of yesterday today. Back to the 80s (I was more of a 78 myself…) – the energy, the teamwork, the colour and the sheer exuberance swept us along from start to finish: the Kids of Woodbridge did us proud. But they’d never have made it to the Prom without their teachers – yes: Mr Cocker and Ms Brannigan of course (you thought I meant Miss Mayes and Mr Williams, didn’t you? Well I do, really). Corey and Tiffany, Michael and not Tiffany, Fergal the Karate Kid and Eileen (come on, Eileen! So close, so close… I could have sung along to that one if it had made the final cut… there again… Mickey – good name, good song… 500 miles… Material World); Cindi, flirting with her audience – and not just the one on stage; the twins, the gangs, the friends and the hangers-on; the dancing – the DANCING – sensational; and of course the music, the solos (so confident, so professional), the ensembles, the choruses, the songs, and the instrumentation, without which not.
Was there a story-line? Yes of course: Cyrano meets Grease meets Glee meets goodness knows what else… lots of boys meet lots of girls and it all ends happily ever after for all but the meanie. Did it matter that it wasn’t Shakespeare? Given the whooping and clapping, and the smiles on everyone’s faces I don’t suppose it did. We were too busy enjoying the glamour and the spectacle. Many, many congratulations to the brilliant cast, from stage-shifting chorus to leading lords and ladies; to the wonderful band hidden away in the gods, but playing like gods; to the crew back stage (over three dozen of them, pupils and staff!); and of course to the directorial powerhouse which this year additionally introduced Miss Foster as musical director and Miss Clements as dance for terrific debuts. Thank you all – and long live the 80s! You had us walking on sunshine.
