1/23/2024 0 Comments Moonfall edwin drood![]() ![]() Ensemble: Casey Dinkin, Andrew Shelton, Al Aumick, Brian Avery, Meighan Carivan-Esmond, Sue Culver, Jillian M.Angela Prysock /Princess Puffer: Paula Ginder.Janet Conover /Helena Landless: Christine Vermilea.Deirdre Peregrine /Rosa Bud: Christina Nicotina.Alice Nutting /Dick Datchery/Edwin Drood: Heather D’Arcy.F Ill bathe in moonfall and dress G Myself in dew. Victor Grinstead /Neville Landless: Matt Harvey Am G Between the very dead of night and day, F E Upon a steely sheet of light, Ill lay F And in the moonfall, G Ill give myself to you.William Cartwright, Chairman / Mayor Sapsea: Wayne D.The giddy playfulness of this play-within-a-play draws the audience toward one of DROOD’S most talked-about features, which allows the audience to vote on the solution as prelude to the most unusual and hilarious finale! Cast Our title character disappears mysteriously one stormy Christmas Eve-but has Edwin Drood been murdered? And if so, then whodunit? Musical numbers include The Wage of Sin, Perfect Strangers, Both Sides of the Coin, Don’t Quit While You’re Ahead and Moonfall. Now, Miss Bud is, in turn, engaged to Jasper’s nephew, young Edwin Drood. ![]() The story itself deals with John Jasper, a Jekyll-and-Hyde choirmaster who is quite madly in love with his music student, the fair Miss Rosa Bud. That its Victorian-style musical hall sensibility only adds to its feeling of fun, is reason too, why this production should not be missed.This wildly warm-hearted theatrical experience kicks off when the Music Hall Royale (a hilariously loony Victorian musical troupe) “puts on” its flamboyant rendition of an unfinished Dickens mystery. The hilarious whodunit mystery musical’s interactivity, allowing the audience to enter the action as the ultimate detectives, makes for not only a unique but a uniquely shared experience, fostering many interval conversations as to different theories and suspect preferences. I watched my hand outstretched towards Edwins pale white face. “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” is certainly musical theatre done differently. Thats when my greatest flight of fancy did take place. Lush colours and opulent fabrics enliven characterisation and assist in transporting the audience into the story, while providing their own visual interest. The most memorable aspect of the show’s aesthetics, however, comes courtesy of Justin Tubb-Hearne’s lavish costume pieces. And Liam Gilliland’s lighting design works well to darkens us to the depths of Jasper’s obsessive passion. In particular, ‘Moonfall’ in which she sings the innuendo-heavy love song Jasper has written for her, showcases not only this, but Musical Director Benjamin Tubb-Herne’s noteworthy keyboard contribution.Īlso in the Act Two number ‘Settling Up the Score’, the setting of Cloisterham train station is easily evoked thanks to clever choreography that sees cases seamlessly transform from a train to a moving tableaux of daily busyness. And Marsh brings some lovely operatic-type tones to her numbers. Late in the Broadway run the title of the show was altered to DROOD. 0riginally produced Off-Broadway 4 August 1985 at the Delacorte Theatre, Central Park, for 27 performances. Wilson’s vocals are commanding, which is evident early in Act One from her ‘Two Kinsmen’ duet with Drood’s uncle Jasper. Suggested by the unfinished novel of the same name by Charles Dickens. While the score lacks any particularly memorable numbers, it does allow for the cast to shine. ![]() And McArthur is wonderful as the bumbling clergyman, finding the funny in detail down to even an eyebrow raise. Carolyn Latter is an audience favourite as Angela Prysock playing the glamourous ruined Princess Puffer, from her bawdy ‘Wages of Sin’ musical introduction and explanation of her life as Madame of the sinister opium den frequented by Jasper, however, it is William Chen’s enthusiasm as the devoted understudy Philip Bax playing the reverend’s clerk Bazzard, that endears his character most into our affections, especially when he finally gets his moment in ‘Never The Luck’. Shannon Foley is an energetic master of ceremonies, who recovers easily on the occasions his punny double entendre-type audience banter deliberately falls flat. All performers are strong in their multi-faceted roles. ![]()
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