Return to the Forbidden Planet, The Mill Theatre, Dormston Centre, Sedgley - review
To celebrate their 80th anniversary in 2016, local amateur group Trinity Operatic Society was reborn as Trinity Musical Theatre Company, kicking off their new regime with a confident production of The Witches of Eastwick thus leaving their years of Gilbert and Sullivan behind.
Their audiences therefore were waiting with baited breath to see what 2017 would bring.
For their second production, the company chose Bob Carlton’s Shakespearean Sci-Fi spectacle,
Return to the Forbidden Planet, the script of which is loosely based on The Tempest, wound together with hits of the sixties and a cast of crazy characters aboard a spaceship. Sounds like complete madness? Well it is, but then that is kind of the point of the show.
I have to confess that this is not one of my favourites and having seen a variety of versions, both professional and amateur over the years, each time I see Forbidden Planet, I hope to be won over but so far, no luck. However, Trinity’s production came close.
Amid the mayhem, what really shone through were the excellent performances from the principal characters, all of whom were perfectly cast.
Mitchell Bastable takes the helm as Captain Tempest, with a Superhero portrayal of the suave spaceman, belting out hits including Young Girl, Good Vibrations and Great Balls of Fire while the audience sang along.
Beth Berwick-Lowe is a shining star in the galaxy, wowing the crowd, as well as the Captain, as Miranda, with her exceptionally strong vocal performance, while Pat Lewis as Prospero is suitably wacky and wide-eyed.
A big well done to Steve Taylor for staying on his feet as Aerial the roller-skating robot and for delivering a heart-felt portrayal of this lovable character.
The strong ensemble and troupe of young enthusiastic dancers fill the stage and indeed the auditorium at times, with modest, but effective choreography by local dance teacher, Lindsey Grant, while Dan Tomkinson and his band completely stole the show with their musical prowess.
A simple but adequate set is transformed with cosmic clusters of flashing lights and projected images to create the intergalactic atmosphere and just before the interval the entrance of the space monster with whom the cast battle, is totally tongue in cheek and amusing, reminding me of those corny American Sci-Fi shows of my childhood.
In short, it’s a long way from Shakespeare, but judging by the audience’s cheers and encouragement at the end of the show, Return to the Forbidden Planet is highly entertaining, comical and uplifting and who can argue with that?
Director Andy Poulton should be proud of his cast, if only for the fact that they helped me move one step closer to enjoying a show I have previously struggled to embrace.
Runs at The Mill Theatre, Dormston Centre in Sedgley until Saturday. For tickets visit the group’s Facebook Page or visit www.trinity-mtc.co.uk
You can also follow Trinity MTC on Twitter at @TrinityMTC
