Grab Me a Gondola ... or ten!

 

This week, a treat, such as doesn't come my musical-theatre way very often in these wearisomely trendy and over-amplified days ...

My report simply bubbled out of me. So I shall reprint it here.

I've just listened to the new recording of GRAB ME A GONDOLA. I, who remember the original ...

 

Wonderful that a show like this, witty and tuneful, should be given a new production. Where? Why, at Britain's most enterprising drama/music school at Guildford.

 

For decades I have watched the output of Guildford. As an agent, in the 80s, most of the young clients I took on to my books were from there. One goodie from Guildhall, another from Arts, but mostly Guildford. 

 

And now young Stewart Nicholls, like me a champion of the post-war British musical comedy, has taken over and this is the result. Instead of students being taught how to mimic American performers from you-tube, we get fresh, lovely, shiningly original and natural performances. 

 I have been involved with drama/music schools on both sides of this planet for over half-a-century. Sometimes the standard of their shows has been fair-to-good. Sometimes it was weak. There were occasions when I wouldn't have hired a single person from a production's cast. Possibly the students were ill displayed in poor or unsuitable material. 

 

But, in fifty years, things have clearly changed. In Guildford, at least! I don't think I've ever heard young folk performing with such joy and vigour and technical assurance. And with a dazzling 2-piano accompaniment (remember MR CINDERS?). This recording, for me, shows us all the way things could and should be going, how students should be taught and displayed ... I shall be playing it on loop ... 

What will other schools come up with? There is a welter of wonderful (British) musical theatre out there. And when the 'opposition' listens to what Guildford can do ... No more RENT, no more HAIR, no more 20th century monoliths ... give a young girl and a young man something in which they can suitably shine ...

 

Bravo Stewart and Guildford ... I hope you get around to LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS, EXPRESSO BONGO, MAKE ME AN OFFER et al in my lifetime.