RAPPORT FRINGE ... MARGINAAL VERSLAG ... FRINGE BERICHT
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drinks Monday 4 August 08
Privates On Parade
Verdict: Malayan Emergency comedy
October 04: 4-6; 14-16, 25-27. November 04: 4-6. Booking Information 020 7287 2875.
Privates On Parade concerns an army drama troupe caught up in the Malayan Emergency after the Second World War (WW2). It is a light comedy drama with songs, in two acts, with a cast of 11 (10M, 1F).
Steven Flowers arrives in Singapore to join Song And Dance Unit South East Asia (SADUSEA), who are touring a production of their revue show Jungle Jamboree. Bullying Sergeant Major Drummond fears the newcomer will expose his sleazy finacial rackets. After a death, obstinate Major Giles Flack decides to move the unit from its relatively safe Singapore base and take it to the heart of the enemy's operations. They'll tour villages near the Cameroon Highlands in Malaya - where the risk of being killed is severe.
Camp Captain Terri Dennis leads SADUSEA dressed as Marlene Dietrich and Carmen Miranda. Sergeant-Major Reg Drummond runs arms rackets, hates gays and beats Eurasian Lieutenant Sylvia Morgan, who also endures racial prejudice but retains a positive outlook, and gives sexual instruction to new arrival Private Steven Flowers - who may or may not marry unseen pen-friend Heather when he gets home.
Dim upper-class Major Giles Flack preaches the bible and fails to detect the homosexuality that surrounds him. Leading Aircraftman Eric Young-Love frequently loses his temper, while mulling over marriage to his girlfriend in Blighty.
Chinese staff Lee and Cheng serve drinks, accept racial patronage, and spy for the Communist Chinese. Not-too-bright gay Lance-Corporal Charles Bishop woos Corporal Len Bonny, who swears continually and is married back home (but she's a bit of a slapper). Flight-Sergeant Kevin Cartwright, uniquely, keeps a calm demeanour.
It's a topical play. The Malayan Emergency resulted, after a long campaign of winning hearts and minds (the expression originated around this time) by British and Malay soldiers and diplomats, in the total defeat of the Chinese Communist insurgents. It was perhaps the only successful 'war against terror' conducted by a Western nation.
Peter Nichols' writing is shrewd, extremely witty - it's full of filthy puns - and funny. The play deals with acceptance of gay men, racial prejudice, inter-racial manners, Christianity in theory and practice, the morale of National Service personnel, bullying in the workplace, sexual harrassment, the morality of abortion, and British citizens involved in terrorism - not surprisingly therefore it feels exactly up to date.
The songs - the author calls it a play with songs rather than a musical - have lyrics by Peter Nichols and music by Denis King. They work excellently as deft evocations of eg Noel Coward, Marlene Dietrich, Carmen Miranda, Flanagan & Allen; the words are often spikily political; and as songs they're often a delight.
Tim Daish gives a strong central performance as Captain Terri Dennis, with expert deliveries of the key songs. Nick Enstone is funny and delightful as foul-mouthed sweet-natured Len Bonny. Paul Heron excels as bulging-eyed Sergeant-Major Reg Drummond - it's a fluent, convincing and frightening portrayal, packed with frustrated sexual tension, menace and threat.
Dan Horrigan gives Charles Bishop a sly and witty edge, with grace and charm. Benedict James is an excellent Major Giles Flack - it's a much more believable and perceptive portrayal than John Cleese's in the film, which was perhaps absurdly over the top. Alex Law is very funny as Eric Young-Love, with a fine comic sense, and gets whoops from women in the audience when he puts the show's title into effect.
Dan Paton delivers the innocent Steven Flowers with charm and a firm grasp on the play's many knob gags. Benedict Theocleous portrays Lee with subtlety of gesture and expression. Hugo Trebels gives Cheng humour, menace and a skilful ironic subservience. Wyn Williams is a delightful Kevin Cartwright, with a fine sense of how to deliver a straight man (in the dramatic sense) in the middle of essentially comic characters.
There is effective musical accompaniement from Neil Crossley on woodwind; Paul Harvard, musical director; and Michael Kantola on bass and percussion. Perhaps a question mark is whether a piano alone may work more effectively with the production. Though the musicians are expert and accomplished, there isn't always a 'band feel' to their combined playing. And the woodwind, though superbly played, makes the overall sound a bit reedy.
Catherine Dennard as Acting Lieutenant Sylvia Morgan does rather steal the show, and it's not a matter of being the only woman. She brings to the production a delightfully graceful and fluid mobility - both in dance and movement. She evokes a heart-breaking poignancy from the subtle delivery of her sung solo Better Far Than Sitting This Life Out. And her creation of perhaps the play's most complex character - in terms of the tensions pulling it in different directions - delights from start to finish.
Director David Harris keeps the action moving briskly, with fine stage movements from choreographer Heather Douglas, and a strong sense of the action's period. The set, designed by Nancy Surman, is slightly disappointing. A drape of the jungle does little to convey it, and the mobile screens are distracting rather than subtle.
Nancy Surman's costume designs are superb, down to the sweat-stains - the highlight being her Carmen Miranda extravaganza. Lighting, by designer Phil S Hunter, and sound (uncredited) are both effective, but could do with more stridency - the feeling of being in a war zone in the jungle isn't strongly evoked. Hair and make-up (designer Universino Sousa) are superb.
