No 13 — July 1979 Edited by Michael Walters
TRIAL BY JUDY/ THE SORCERER The Orpheus Club, Kings Theatre, Glasgow 10 March 1979.
TRIAL: Producer Muriel Brown had the piece moving along at a cracking pace, with bits of business going on continuously. The Judge was played most attractively by Walter Paul, also most impressive was James Fitzsimmons as the cavalier Defendant. Tom McVeigh's nonchalant Counsel made a contrast to the activity elsewhere. The Usher (Ian Hamilton) was in orange wig. The whole piece sparkled and seemed to be over in a moment. SORCERER: This is the first time in the Club's history that this opera has been played and the first time I have seen it. Walter Paul's performance as the extrovert Cockney Wells, complete with Spock?like eyebrows, was a delight, his diction was perfect, and his sense of comic timing immaculate. The comedy highlight was his duet with Lady Sangazure, played with elegance by Moira Leitch. The special effects for the Incantation were outstanding. The stage lights were dimmed, the "sprites" were depicted by a rotating dull white light on the backdrop and magnesium flares were used ? "Number 1" at the front of the stage, Wells dancing to the back for "No 2"and "No 3" flared from the enchanted teapot in his hand. There was also a moving tree stump which didn't always go the way Wells wanted it to. Memorable, too, was the start of the second act with the stage lights few and the mist machine casting a fog over the comatose villagers as Wells, Aline & Alexis checked the bodies. A particularly noteworthy performance came from David Blackwood (Daly). As I mentioned in a previous crit, Mr. Blackwood's vocal and visual resemblance to Kenneth Sandford is quite striking. Mr. Blackwood has a fine operatic voice and made Dr. D a most gentle and elegant Vicar. I was also impressed with Andrew Bryce's Alexis. He put over a strong "jolly spiffing" characterization and has a fine tenor voice. Alyson Crichton (Aline) was very matter of fact. Wells consigned himself to his fate through an efficient trapdoor accompanied by another magnesium flare. The chorus work was attractive and interesting with plenty of independent and small?group business. LINDA WOOD
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