Reviewed by Pete Rainey
Nayland College’s production of the Broadway musical Seussical is a charming colourful spectacle guaranteed to lift spirits as winter arrives in Nelson.
The story mixes up two much loved classic Seussian tales - ‘Horton Hears a Who’ and ‘Horton Hatches the Egg’ with a sprinkling of enough other Seuss references to stitch together a show that engages young and old alike.
Samantha Gerritsen as JoJo and Molly Clarke as the Cat in the Hat expertly anchor the storyline, supporting Sam Clark who shines as the hapless Horton along with his adoring Gertrude, played (and beautifully sung ) by Lovinia Pluck.
Sara De Campos was a sassy and convincing Mayzie La Bird, supported by her slick Bird Girls- Simone Tabili, Thea Speake and Pippa Sussex.
Tyler Curtis and Isabella Fuller shone as Mr and Mrs Mayor.
A great performance from Cocoplum Morrissey-Smith as Sour Kangaroo alongside the hilariously goofy Wickersham Monkeys of Ollie Gabites, Zac Daly, Lani Kalapu, Saskia Nyhoff, and Dylan Welsh rounding out the principal cast.
The supporting ensemble were outstanding with the fabulous addition of younger cast members from Broadgreen Intermediate. Their enthusiasm was infectious.
The tight and snappy orchestra impressed with strong direction from MD Kay Mackenzie. The balance between vocals and band settled quickly, and some fabulous performances were evident from all sections. The singing was outstanding, comfortably handling the often difficult score.
Costuming and props stood out, along with well-rehearsed, convincing choreography from Jana Polglase, and slick stage management from Carl Sheehan.
Ross Gerritsen’s direction commanded the deceptively simple set, as he ably guided the cast through a tricky score and book. He knows how to engage the audience who lapped it up.
I applaud Nayland College for hiring the theatre for the show, providing a lifelong memory for the cast and treating Nelsonians to a ‘proper’ musical with an orchestra in the pit.
This is 75 minutes of joyous Seussical fun - see it!
Seussical is on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th May at 7pm with a 1pm matinee on Saturday at the Theatre Royal. Tickets are available here.
