African Queen
Sat, 15 Mar 2008, 11:34 amGordon the Optom3 posts in thread
African Queen
Sat, 15 Mar 2008, 11:34 am Samuel Sayer, a World War 1 missionary, has died and the people of the village that he cared for forced to work for the Germans. His Bible-thumping sister, Rose (Ann Adlem), decides to leave the area and move to another part of Central Africa, but how? Then one day Charlie Allnut (Ian Toyne at his very best) arrives with a barely seaworthy boat called the ‘African Queen’. Rose talks this alcoholic, yet still gentlemanly, sailor into taking her down river. Filled with hate for the Germans Rose plots to take revenge.
There are some films that I feel should never be remade, such as ‘Casablanca’ and ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. ‘African Queen’ falls into that category, so it was apprehensively and regretfully that I went to see what I expected to be the desecration of a masterpiece. After all who could successfully put on a show, so dependent on the elements of nature in a small theatre 10 metres square and succeed? Director and librettist, John Senczuk did! This version was more gripping than the film. The romance much more intimate and genuine, the lighting (Jon Davey) controlled with sensitivity (Paula Coops) and the simple but most effective rustic set (Ian Kanik) made the whole experience real.
Both of the characters, dressed in very similar costumes to the film (Gina Miller), convincingly conveyed the suffering and elation of this prudish Christian virgin and the boatman, with a tough exterior but a soft centre. The actors’ singing voices were balanced and had similar tones. The audience were totally sucked in. When Charlie had to dive under the boat to release the rudder, thanks to the beautiful lighting, the dramatic piano music (Tim Cunniffe) you actually found yourself holding your breath in sympathy.
Samuel Sayer, a World War 1 missionary, has died and the people of the village that he cared for forced to work for the Germans. His Bible-thumping sister, Rose (Ann Adlem), decides to leave the area and move to another part of Central Africa, but how? Then one day Charlie Allnut (Ian Toyne at his very best) arrives with a barely seaworthy boat called the ‘African Queen’. Rose talks this alcoholic, yet still gentlemanly, sailor into taking her down river. Filled with hate for the Germans Rose plots to take revenge.
There are some films that I feel should never be remade, such as ‘Casablanca’ and ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’. ‘African Queen’ falls into that category, so it was apprehensively and regretfully that I went to see what I expected to be the desecration of a masterpiece. After all who could successfully put on a show, so dependent on the elements of nature in a small theatre 10 metres square and succeed? Director and librettist, John Senczuk did! This version was more gripping than the film. The romance much more intimate and genuine, the lighting (Jon Davey) controlled with sensitivity (Paula Coops) and the simple but most effective rustic set (Ian Kanik) made the whole experience real.
Both of the characters, dressed in very similar costumes to the film (Gina Miller), convincingly conveyed the suffering and elation of this prudish Christian virgin and the boatman, with a tough exterior but a soft centre. The actors’ singing voices were balanced and had similar tones. The audience were totally sucked in. When Charlie had to dive under the boat to release the rudder, thanks to the beautiful lighting, the dramatic piano music (Tim Cunniffe) you actually found yourself holding your breath in sympathy.
Going to take a trip…
Sadly nowadays no one reads