September 26 2013.
Amanda Wilkins writes:
It is a shame the people of Newhaven and Seaford seem to be unaware what a gem they have in their midst in the form of Meeching Amateur Dramatics. The company stages a variety of different productions, but they are at their best when they stage one of their MAD Music Hall of Fun shows. This is number three and it is the best to date.
MAD Music Hall of Fun 3 is very professional production, with lovely costumes,good choreography and excellent voices.This is not a Good Old Days, Old Time Music Hall, full of songs youngsters have never heard of show, it is a mixture of comedy, nostalgia and familiar songs.
Keith Johnson is a first class MC and he fills in by performing sketches and songs at other times. He got the audience participation going in Ernie, the fastest milk cart in the West and his Patrick Moore impression was classic.
The show opened in the Jungle, with familiar songs like The Lion Sleeps Tonight, before a selection of very funny comedy sketches, including a silent one in a cinema, which is all done by mime and the first half closes with a Stars in Your Eyes, where men and women join forces to take off the Spice Girls and Mandy Crnkovic gave a brilliant impression of Tina Turner. The highlight had to be the men singing YMCA led by a semi-naked Garry Fowler dressed as a Red Indian.
But this show is not all about comedy; the second half opened with a tribute to The American Civil War, which took place between 1861-1865.The costumes were good and Kieran Beal sang a very moving song, 'The Union Mare and the Confederate Grey' , accompanied by Edd Ginn on guitar.
Before the final Tribute to the Musicals, two aliens, Ugg and Agg, landed on stage, played by the Morecambe and Wise of MAD, Garry Fowler and Edd Ginn.
The surprise came in the finale, when we that discovered Lee Harris, mostly seen in straight plays, also has a great voice, as he sang Music of the Night from Phantom of the Opera. Praise must go to accompanist Margaret Farmiloe, who thrilled the audience with her beautiful voice as she sang Memory from Cats.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and I hope people will support this and the next production, Jack and The Beanstalk, which will run from January the 17th though to the 25th.
We cannot afford to lose this talented company.
MAD Music Hall of Fun 3. Meeching Hall, Newhaven. 25-28 September.