DIRECTED BY:

Penny Cooke

The Cast:

MILLY	Sarah Creasey
DORCAS	Jane Pearce
RUTH	Amy Kent
LIZA	Amy Power
MARTHA	Kate Ayres
SARAH	Fiona Haylock
ALICE	Megan Abbott

ADAM	Matthew Austin
BENJAMIN	Ian Anderson
CALEB	Hugh Pearce
DANIEL	James Golder
EPHRAIM	Matthew Kerslake
FRANK	Jamie Nuttall
GIDEON	William Storey

CARL	Steve Brooks
LUKE	Jack Kent
MATT	William Johnson
JOEL	Daniel Wagg
ZEKE	David Mycock
JEB	Michael Norman

PREACHER	Chip Carpenter
MR BIXBY	Adrian Baxter
MRS BIXBY	Susan Power
MR PERKINS	Jimmy Harwood
MRS PERKINS	Sandra Johnson

Chorus

Amy Camp	Kristen Coucill
Karen Girdwood	Gemma Laing
Debbie Hiles	Natalie Mills
Laura Norman	Jenny Read
Em Secker	Carol Storey

Production Team

Musical Directors	Mike Cooke
Choreograper	Penny Cooke
Assistant Choreographer	Jane Wallace
Assistant Producer	Judy Parsons
Lighting and Special Effects	Barry Ayres
Vocal Coach	Claire Cooper
Stage Manager	Kate Carpenter
Stage Crew	Richard Bennett, David Brammer, Mark Girdwood
Set Construction	Terry Cook, Mark Girdwood, William Storey, Simon Carpenter, Chip Carpenter, Kate Carpenter, Hugh Pearce, Gemma Laing, Carol Storey.
Wardrobe	Judy Parsons & Harvey Costumes
Make-up	Jenny Lewis
Props	Barbara Curtis, Margaret Mould
Programme	Kate Ayres & William Storey
Box Office	Kate and Chip Carpenter
Front of House	Cyril Pike and Nerys Brooks, Members of Watlington WI

The ambitious award-winning Watlington Players have done it again with this wonderful interpretation of the evergreen musical which has it all – memorable songs, energetic dance routines, romance, colourful costumes and comedy.

Amateur groups up and down the country struggle to find enough men to fill roles in musicals, but innovative director Penny Cooke has achieved the near-impossible by finding not only guys to play the seven brothers but a further six for the role of the jealous suitors, and by the way, they also can sing and dance.

Over the years Watlington Players have achieved some notable successes with their previous shows – including outstanding productions of Jekyll and Hyde, Guys and Dolls, Singin’ in the Rain – and now Seven Brides can be added to that impressive list.

From the opening scenes on Wednesday’s opening night, the show moved at pace with memorable songs, including Bless Your Beautiful Hide, Wonderful, Wonderful Day, and Goin’ Courtin’ flowing thick and fast.

The enthusiasm and exuberance of the cast is clear for all to see and the dance background of Penny Cooke is very evident in the way they move through the show and in the cleverly worked fight scene.

Matthew Austin is well cast in the lead role of brother Adam who nets his bride in the quickest-ever courtship. Well-known local actress Sarah Creasy plays the demanding lead female role Mily who becomes a bride and ends up getting six brothers-in-law.

She not only looks the part but her voice, if a little quiet at times, is right for some of the musical numbers, particularly Love Never Goes Away and Wonderful, Wonderful Day.

Mention must also be made of the orchestra, under the baton of Mike Cooke, impressive set design, lighting and costumes, which all contributed to the overall effectiveness of a marvellous evening of good old-fashioned entertainment.

Richard Parr.