KEY POINTS:
The Peach Theatre Company production of Blood Brothers shows that sometimes an amateur presentation can give the professionals a run for their money.
But then the lines between amateur and professional productions can be a little blurred when professional companies, like Auckland Theatre Company, use students to flesh out large cast shows and community theatre groups like Peach Theatre cast professional actors.
By any standard Blood Brothers is an ambitious production, with 11 actors and six musicians taking on 15 songs from a much-loved cult musical. Originally commissioned as a show for secondary school children, Willy Russell's Blood Brothers has played at the West End for more than 20 years, won numerous awards and is performed around the world.
A variation on the Cain and Abel story, Blood Brothers uses the tale of fraternal twins separated at birth to explore everything from nature vs nurture to the British class system and superstition.
While it doesn't have the design aesthetic or big budget polish of a professional production, this show is a heartfelt retelling of the story that captures the ups and downs of working class life with a rambunctious sentimentality.
Annie Whittle was a wonderfully earthy Mrs Johnstone, bringing to life all of the contradictory strengths and weaknesses of the Liverpudlian matriarch. Her songs were full of emotional turmoil and regrets for wrong choices made but at times her singing sounded underpowered and it would have been good to hear her belt it out more.
Ray Woolf's narrator was a strong catalyst for pushing the story along with an almost sinister influence on the characters' lives. He commanded the stage, even overcoming a lighting hitch that saw him performing in the dark for part of one song but, again, it felt like something was missing from his vocal performance.
Ashley Hawkes and Nicolas Kyle are enjoyable as the blood brothers of the title and do a pretty good job in challenging roles that take them from boyhood to manhood. Kyle's performance of I'm Not Saying A Word was an absolute highlight. His voice sounded pure and clear and was spot on emotionally, perfectly capturing the exquisite agony of unrequited love.
Overall, the company is good, although at times their enthusiasm got a little too close to hammy. No choreographer is credited in the programme and some of the ensemble songs needed a professional choreographer's skill to give them more razzle dazzle.
The design was a bit hit and miss. Steve Peach chose a circus set to highlight the "humour veiling the hidden sadness" and it worked well.
Lynn Cottingham's costumes were period perfect and she must have had an army of machinists sewing multiple costume changes for the large cast. Richard Greatrex's lighting aimed for moody but was gloomy, sapping energy from key scenes.
Director-producer Jesse Peach might be young but he's certainly not shy of a challenge. Good on him for bringing such a big musical to the stage and good luck for his ongoing efforts with Peach Theatre Company.
Whether amateur or professional, the theatre community needs people with his passion and commitment.
* Blood Brothers performs up until April 19
