'Micky Salberg' at the Watermill

Last Thursday and a trip to the Watermill Theatre at Bagnor. This is the second time this year. Previously (in March) we saw 'Merrily We Roll Along' (Stephen Sondheim. Dir: John Doyle). Past visits to 'Fiddler on the Roof' and 'Mack and Mabel' had primed me for this brilliant director's use of minimal stage space, big musical ideas and use of talented actor/musicians.

This musical progresses backwards (er...regresses sounds wrong). Frank is a celebrity in 1981. We watch his life rewind to where he, and his two best friends, began as fresh-faced students in the 1950s. “How did you get here from there, Mr Shepherd?” . This story in reverse shows that success comes at a price. It's a tale of crumbling relationships, disillusionment and unrequited love. In the second half of the play the story focuses on youthful aspirations, the pace quickens, the mood lightens and there is a very funny satire of the Kennedys in the Whitehouse. Good show, but we had lousy seats in the 'circle slips'. Great little theatre, vibrant acting space but some lousy sight-lines unless you are in the stalls or front circle. The Mill's got ducks too!
This week we returned to see 'Micky Salberg's Crystal Ballroom Dance Band' (by Ade Morris. Dir. Guy Retallack).


'Micky' is a three hander. A musical play set in Stoke in the 50's. Rock and Roll replaces the 'dance band'. Post war Polish immigrants struggle for acceptance, a love/hate affair with a 'Stokey' lad, cultural clashes and great music. very enjoyable evening with, again, multitalented actors playing several instruments, singing and acting (often all at the same time). The curtain call featured the players letting rip with rock and roll classics. Timely Jewish humour acted as a telling contrast to the tragic history of the protagonists.

This is the set.

I particularly enjoyed the performance of Pam Jolley as Samuella Salberg (playing saxaphone and clarinet and keyboard and, eventually, singing). I have previously enjoyed her performance in 'The Blonde Bombshells of 1943' at the Oxford Playhouse (see the picture below, she is the one playing the clarinet).