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Louise English Theatre,
Musical Theatre & Film Reviews
Hello, Dolly!
— Online Reviews:
News Shopper,
UK Theatre Network,
British Theatre Guide,
Sheffield Telegraph,
What's On
North East,
Chester Chronicle,
Manchester Evening News,
The Public Reviews,
Entertainment Manchester,
Stourbridge News,
Birmingham Mail, The
Stirrer.
Hello, Dolly! — Print
Reviews: Crackerjack, Heartland Evening News, Daily Information, Nottingham Evening Post,
Indie London,
British Theatre Guide,
Darlington and Stockton Times, Northern Echo, Darlington Evening Gazette,
Theatre Reviews, On Stage Scotland, Encore Magazine.
Annie The Musical — Online
Reviews:
BBC
Manchester,
BBC Leeds,
The Stage, Manchester
Evening News, BBC
Birmingham,
BBC Hereford and Worcester,
BBC
Birmingham.
Annie The Musical — Print Reviews: Wakefield Express, Manchester Evening News, This is
Cornwall, Worcester
News,
Gloucestershire Echo,
Western Morning News, This Is
The Northeast, Sunday
Business Post (Ireland), Irish Independent, This
is Malvern,
The
Argus, UK Theatre Newsletter,
The Sun (Malaysia),
icBerkshire, Teesside Evening Gazette, Grimsby Telegraph,
The Scotsman,
Lincolnshire Echo,
Lincolnshire Chronicle,
Gloucestershire Echo.
Oliver! The Musical — Print
Reviews:
Malay Mail, New Straits Times, The Q Factor.
Me and My Girl
— Print Reviews: The Stage,
Musical Stages,
icCoventry,
icBirmingham, Evening Mail, BBC,
This is Worcestershire,
Evening Telegraph,
Google Groups.
Private Lives — Print
Review: The Stage
Sherlock Holmes The
Musical — Online Review:
Amazon.com
Sherlock Holmes The Musical
— Print Review: The Stage
There's A Girl In My Soup —
Print Review: The Stage
My Dearest Ivor — Print
Review: The Stage
House of the Long Shadows —
Online Review:
Carfax
Abbey
For Pantomime Reviews Click
Here.
"Hello, Dolly: Hippodrome"
By Gerry Parker
Excerpted from Crackerjack online; 6 August 2008
Louise English's characterization of Irene Molloy was attractive
and beautifully sung.
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"Anita's Dolly As Good As It Gets"
Excerpted
from Heartland Evening News (Nuneaton); 13 June 2008
Louise English, as the
object of his affections once the duo arrive in New York, was in top form, with
a lovely voice, especially when she sang the enchanting Ribbons Down My Back.
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"Hello, Dolly!"
By Simon Tavener
Excerpted from Daily Information, Oxford; 29 May 2008
Louise English played Irene Molloy with elegance and panache.
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"Hello Dolly"
By Andy Smart
Excerpted from the
Nottingham Evening Post; 21 May 2008
Darren Day, David McAlister, Louise English ... in fact the entire, excellent
company are on terrific form. Anita Dobson
dazzles as matchmaker Dolly Levi in this new production of Jerry Herman's
celebrated musical farce.
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"Hello, Dolly!"
By David Feeney
Excerpted from the UK Theatre Network; 16 April
2008
Delightfully funny and
visually stunning, this is a musical with style and charisma.
Louise English and Anita
Dobson, (English playing Darren Day’s love interest, Irene Molloy) stole the
show with their impressive vocal performances, especially, in Dobson’s case, on
the title song, “Hello Dolly”, and English in “It Only Takes A Moment”.
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"Hello, Dolly!
Lyceum"
By Bernard Lee
Excerpted from the Sheffield Telegraph; 3
April 2008
There are fine performances as
well from the versatile David McAlister as a not too-crusty Horace Vandergelder,
Darren Day as a well-fed Cornelius Hackl and Louise English as an engaging merry
widow, Irene Molloy.
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"Hello, Dolly! - New Wimbledon
Theatre"
By David Munro
Excerpted from Indie London (online); 30 March 2008
Louise English gives Irene
Molloy the necessary charm and grace to attract a suitor and she manages her
principal number – Ribbons Down My Back – stylishly.
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"Hello Dolly!"
By Sandra Giorgetti
Excerpted from The British Theatre Guide; 26 March 2008
Louise English plays Irene Molloy beautifully and her rendition
of "Ribbons Down My Back", a moving piece about finding love, was the best singing of the evening.
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"Hello, Dolly"
By Peter Ridley
Excerpted from Darlington and Stockton Times; 14 March
2008
The best-known songs,
Hello, Dolly! itself and Before The Parade Passes By, are as thrilling as ever,
but others, especially Ribbons Down My Back, beautifully sung by Louise English,
also made the back-of-the-neck hairs bristle. And Elegance nicely echoed the
Garland/Astaire standard We're A Couple Of Swells.
The strong line-up of
principles, not least Ms English as milliner Molloy; David McAllister as Horace Vandergelder seeking a house-keeper who thinks she's a house-holder; Darren Day
and Hamilton Sargent as the innocents in the big city; and Amanda Salmon,
hilarious as the engagingly hysterical Minnie, complete the pleasure.
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"Hello, Dolly"
By Sue Heath
Excerpted from the Northern Echo; 12 March
2008
Louise English as Hackl's love interest, Irene Molloy, sang beautifully
and looked lovely too,
with nice comic timing.
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"Review: Hello, Dolly!"
By Kathryn Smith
Excerpted from the (Darlington) Evening Gazette; 12 March
2008
The story of matchmaking Dolly, played by Anita Dobson, showcases
the great talents of Darren Day, as Cornelius Hackl, Louise English as Irene
Molloy and the miserly Horace Vandergelder played by David McAlister.
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"Hello, Dolly! at Darlington Civic Theatre"
Excerpted from What's On
North East; 11 March 2008
Louise English’s voice is stunning, capturing all
the notes and captivating the audience.
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"Hello, Dolly! at The Lowry"
By Peggy Woodcock
Excerpted from the Chester Chronicle; 7 March 2008
Louise English, as hat shop owner and potential bride Irene
Molloy, sang beautifully.
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"Hello, Dolly! @ The
Lowry"
By Natalie Anglesey
Excerpted from Manchester Evening News; 6 March 2008
Louise English is ideal as Irene Molloy, owner of the best hat
shop in town, who gets to sing the lovely Ribbons Down My Back.
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Hello, Dolly! - National Tour
By Steve Burbridge
Excerpted from The Public
Reviews; 6 March 2008
Darren Day, David McAlister
and Louise English lead the fabulous supporting cast of over forty performers,
and they each deliver consummate performances.
Louise English, as Irene
Molloy, exudes grace and charm and has a beautiful singing voice. Her rendition
of ‘Ribbons Down My Back’ was spine-tingling.
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"Hello, Dolly - Lowry Lyric Theatre"
By Brenda Kean
Excerpted from Theatre-Reviews.co.uk;
5 March 2008
The
excellent Louise English as Mrs Molloy...is
the best in the show for me as her acting is believable and she looks the part.
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"Hello, Dolly! - The Lowry"
By Julia Taylor
Excerpted from Entertainment
Manchester online; 4 March 2008
Louise had a soft, almost
operatic voice with clear diction which made “Ribbons down my Back” a particular
joy to listen to.
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"Hello, Dolly! - UK Tour"
By Michael Cox
Excerpted from On Stage Scotland Online; 28 February 2008
Louise English and Amanda Salmon, who play
Irene Molly and Minnie Faye respectively, exhibit excellent voices and light the
stage with their performances.
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"Review
- Hello, Dolly!"
Excerpted from Forth One.com
(Scotland Radio 97.3); 26 Feb. 2008
Darren Day delivers
as Cornelius Hackl, particularly in the fiendish ballad “It Only Takes a
Moment”, where his vocal quality is beautifully matched by Louise English’s
Irene Molloy.
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"Hello, Dolly"
By Terry Wills
Excerpted from The
Stirrer; 14 February 2008
Indeed all the cast give a spirited account of themselves -
Louise English, in particular, playing hat shop owner Mrs Molloy, with suitable
flair and a natural singing voice.
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"Hello, Dolly!"
By Clive Fuller
Excerpted from Encore
Magazine; 12 February 2008
Louise English brought all of
her West End
experience to the role of milliner Irene Molloy and was a perfect match for
Cornelius. She has a charming singing voice and 'Ribbons down My Back' was a
highlight of Act 1.
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"Stars Come Out For Dolly"
By Natalie Driver
Excerpted from the Stourbridge News; 6 February 2008
Darren Day...has a lovely singing voice -
especially in It Only Takes a Moment - which was only matched by the dulcet
tones of Louise English as his sweetheart Irene Molloy. Ms English is a solid
all-round performer and was well cast in this role.
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"Classic Show"
By Alex Moss
Excerpted from the Wakefield Express; 29 November 2006
Special mention goes to Louise English who was fabulous as Oliver
Warbucks' secretary Grace.
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"Orphan Annie"
By John Burland
Excerpted from BBC Leeds; 22 November 2006
Louise English, as Grace Farrell, was utterly charming. David
McAlister is a veteran performer and it really shows in his performance. Ruth
Madoc excelled as the drunken, nasty Miss Hannigan.
Chris Colby’s
direction was superb, and the choreography by David Kort was outstanding. Add to
this the brilliant musical direction by Anne Marie Lewis-Thompson and you have a
truly terrific show. I would therefore recommend that you get booked as a matter
of urgency.
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"ANNIE at The Lowry"
By Natalie Anglesey
Excerpted from Manchester Evening News; 31 August 2006
Louise English is one of the best Miss Farrell's I've seen.
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"Annie"
By Mark Justin-Ford
Excerpted from BBC Manchester; 30 August 2006
The undoubted
star of this production is, oddly enough, not Miss Hannigan, played by the
inimitable Ruth Madoc or Stacey Hunt’s Annie.
No, the real star
of the show was in fact Louise English, who gave a performance as Grace Farrell
that was unfazed by the sound problems and the late scene movements, which
seemed to put off the rest of the cast.
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"Annie: The Lowry Theatre
Salford"
By Glenn Meads; August 2006
David McAlister and Louise English provide the slickness...in the
roles of Daddy Warbucks and his bride to be, Grace.
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"Annie Bursts
With Talent"
By Ginette Harris
Excerpted from This is Cornwall; 17
November 2005
The show burst with talent and energy and
there was just the right measure of poignant moments and laughs. A lovely
performance by Louise English.
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"Classic Show Will Put
A Smile On Your Face"
By Natalie Driver
Excerpted from the Worcester
News; 11 November 2005
Former Hill's Angel Louise
English shone as Grace Farrell.
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"Sugary
Musical Had A Real Buzz"
Excerpted from the Gloucestershire Echo; 26 October 2005
I particularly liked Daddy's endearing
secretary Grace as played by Louise English. Throughout this musical the
audience seemed to love every moment.
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"Twenties
Tale Still Pulls Right Strings"
Excerpted from Western Morning News; 18 October 2005
Guts and heart illuminate the performances,
with more than a touch of pantomime encouraging a party atmosphere. Splendid is
Louise English as Grace. Wholesome family entertainment.
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"Annie"
By Viv Hardwick
Excerpted from This Is The
Northeast; 7 September 2005
There's heavy focus on the
blossoming relationship between billionaire Daddy Warbucks (Mark Wynter), his
secretary Grace Farrell (Louise English) and Annie. Wynter...and the shapely
Louise English are polished performers worthy of Fifth Avenue.
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"Theatre:
Annie: The Musical"
By Helen Boylan
Excerpted from Sunday Business Post
(Dublin, Ireland); 10 July 2005
Louise
English sang like a pro as the graceful Grace Farrell, and Ruth Madoc (of TV's
Hi-De-Hi and Little Britain) mugged energetically as evil orphanage owner Miss
Hannigan.
The sets are impressive and the score includes
those songs that will stay in your head for days afterwards: It's a Hard Knock
Life, You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile, Easy Street, and, the ode to
the power of capitalism, Tomorrow.
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"Musical Fun For All The Family"
By Larissa Nolan
Excerpted from the Irish
Independent; 3 July 2005
The daddies' interest was
notably piqued by stunningly beautiful Louise English, as Grace Farrell, in many
Thirties-style chic outfits.
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"Annie Review:
Malvern Theatres"
By Jill Hopkins
Excerpted from This is Malvern; 16
November 2004
The production of Annie, being staged this
week in Malvern, is delightful family entertainment.
The orphans...acted, danced and sang with
immense theatrical presence. Emma Hopkins, as Annie, characterised superbly,
singing and moving as if a veteran of the theatre. Su Pollard was outrageous as
Miss Hannigan, intent on frightening the girls into submission. James Smillie
used his fine voice effectively and became betrothed to the kind and beautiful
Grace Farrell, played by Louise English.
Choreography was slick and changes of pace
were expedient. Costuming and effective lighting all contributed to make this a
memorable production.
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"Annie, Congress
Theatre, Eastbourne"
Excerpted from The Argus Online; 29 September 2004
The cheers that raised the roof on the first
night of Annie on Monday were well-deserved for this production directed by
Chris Colby.
Louise English is well-cast as Oliver Warbucks'
prim secretary, who blossoms into a beautiful young lady destined to become his
wife.
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"Annie - Milton Keynes Theatre"
By Catherine Brian
Excerpted from UK Theatre
Newsletter; 31 August 2004
The main parts, Miss Hanningan
(Su Pollard), Daddy Warbucks (James Smillie), Grace Farrell (Louise English),
Rooster (Matthew Hewitt) and Lily St. Regis (Melody Jones) were very strong. Su
Pollard was very funny, Louise English and James Smillie sang beautifully, and
the routines with Rooster and Lily were great.
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"Annie's Song"
By Mei Choo
Excerpted from Sun 2 Surf
Online (Malaysia); 3 June 2004
Louise English is a dynamo of energy as the efficient Grace
Farrell, secretary (and later love interest) to Warbucks. Her strong voice
carries through despite an initial glitch with the microphone in her opening
scene.
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"Little orphan Annie did bring out the sun"
Excerpted from icBerkshire; 6 November 2003
Grace Farrell, played by Louise
English (who starred in the film Bugsy Malone as a child) lived up to her name,
as the adoring personal secretary to the billionaire businessman.
The cast enjoyed it, the
orchestra enjoyed it, the audience enjoyed it. A thoroughly great family night
out.
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"Review:
Annie"
By Eddie Johnson
Excerpted
from Teesside Evening Gazette; 28 October 2003
In this superb show with a
40-strong team of super troupers, there are plenty of them to steal the
limelight.
Louise English, of Bugsy Malone
film fame, sparkles as Grace Farrell, who wins the heart of the billionaire.
This is a welcome production
and one to be proud of, that does much justice for the cause of keeping
Billingham Forum as a regional asset.
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"Show
That's Guaranteed To Bring A Tear To Your Eye"
Excerpted from the Grimsby Telegraph
22 October 2003
...Louise English, who played the lead
role of Sally Smith in the West End's Me and My Girl, plays Warbuck's secretary,
Grace Farrell, to perfection.
...A superb family show that left
everyone, cast included, smiling and contented.
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"Annie"
By Martin Gray
Excerpted from The Scotsman; 8 October 2003
Louise English was grace itself as Oliver Warbucks PA, er, Grace.
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"Sunshine
Show Of A Classic"
Excerpted from the Lincolnshire Echo; 30 September 2002
The sun certainly came out at the
Lincoln Theatre Royal in a glittering production of the classic fairy tale
musical, Annie.
There were smiles all around and not a
dry eye in the house as the enchanting rags to riches story charmed its way from
start to finish.
Lavish costumes and an impressive
elaborate set gave a touch of West End style production to the small theatre.
To capture the essence of 1930's New
York glamour on a small stage is a tall order, but the cast and crew managed to
achieve it.
Providing a touch of glamour and
romance to the show was Louise English as Grace Farrell and her command of the
song and dance routines showed a real professionalism.
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"Annie - The Musical"
Excerpted from the Lincolnshire
Chronicle
Huge sets, beautifully dressed
costumes, excellent adult cast...wonderful young performers go to make this a
truly memorable evening of theatre.
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"Annie - The
Musical"
Excerpted from the Gloucestershire Echo
"A wonderful show that gives you
a huge dose of the feel good factor."
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"THEATRE: An Orphan's
Tale Told Well"
By Sharmila Vella
Excerpted from Malay Mail; 6 June 2005
Louise English was a bawdy and very sweet
Nancy. She displayed her big, warm voice beautifully on the show-stopping anthem
As Long As He Needs Me.
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"THEATRE:
Thumbs Up For 'Oliver!'"
by R. Gowri
Excerpted from New Straits Times; 2
June 2005
Playing a rather strident Nancy is Louise
English, whose voice carries admirably. Oliver! is a musical treat and makes a
perfect holiday outing.
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"Oliver Twist by Lionel Bart"
The Q Factor (Malaysia)
12 June 2005
Nancy (Louise English) blew the audience away with her powerful
vocal cords.
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"Me and My Girl – Alexandra Theatre,
Birmingham"
By Chris Wilson
Excerpted from The Stage; 27 December 2001
This revival of the hit musical at the Alexandra is a blaze of colour and
merriment. A strong cast led by Hal Fowler as Bill and Louise English as his
selfless girlfriend Sally perform with zeal, clearly enjoying their work.
The song and dance routines – for Leaning on a Lamp Post and The Lambeth Walk –
sent the audience into orbit.
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"Me and My Girl"
Musical Stages Online; January 2002
Barely a decade since the show left London,
Me and My Girl is back, courtesy of Charles Vance Productions. Directed and
choreographed by Tim Flavin, his slick production is fast moving and light
hearted with some inspired slapstick, energetic tap routines and some great
lines courtesy of Stephen Fry's hilarious script.
With the exception of the infectious "Lambeth
Walk", the best numbers are found in the second act, where Flavin's
choreography is particularly exciting in "The Sun Has Got His Hat On" and
"Leaning On A Lamppost", performed with gusto by a small ensemble.
In the lead parts: Reprising the role that she
played in the West-End, Louise English is suitably feisty as Sally Smith, Joan
Savage has a lot of fun as the Duchess of Dene, particularly in her scenes with
Bill, although perhaps she is not quite nasty enough. Gerald Harper coasts
through on autopilot as Sir John Tremayne but his relaxed charm is occasionally
very funny. Katie Verner sings beautifully as Lady Jacqueline, but the
revelation is Hal Fowler as Bill Snibson, from his first entrance he immediately
wins the audience over with an energetic performance of comic frenzy and real
warmth.
Me and My Girl is an old fashioned show
that doesn't seem dated. In fact, it could well be just the kind of
feel-good-factor show that the London theatre scene needs right now.
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"Review: Me and My Girl"
icCoventry; 19 December 2001
A good old fashioned
sing-a-long with a fair few laughs in between is the recipe of Stephen Fry's
version of this classical musical.
Musicals are not normally my
cup of tea, but even I was caught up in the audience, my feet tapping along to
the highly infectious Lambeth Walk.
Coupled with the equally famous
The Sun Has Got His Hat On and Leaning on a Lamppost, on a cold
night the audience soon warmed to the cast.
Hal Fowler as the unlikely
Lord, and Louise English as Sally Smith are excellent in the lead roles, ably
supported by Katie Verner as Lady Jacqueline and the extremely nimble Joan
Savage, as the Duchess.
The sign of a good show, the
time just flew past and as a musical novice, the biggest compliment I can give
the show is that I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Bored of Christmas television
or looking for an alternative to panto, Me and My Girl will certainly
entertain.
ME AND MY GIRL - Alexandra
Theatre, Birmingham, until Saturday January 19. Running time: 2hr 40min.
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"Me & My Girl"
By Stuart McGann
icBirmingham
If you're running short on festive cheer this
year the Christmas show at the Alex' is sure to put you in the party mood.
Me and My Girl is one of the nation's
favourite musicals and this version, revamped by Stephen Fry's witty
interpretation, delivers a quickfire supply of fun and entertainment.
The cast does not boast many household names
but the audience is soon won over with bundles of energy and enthusiasm.
As the story unfolds Hal Fowler playing Bill
Snibson - the cockney barrow-boy discovered to be heir to the Hareford Hall
fortune - takes every opportunity to get a laugh and finds many willing
accomplices, especially the forever tipsy Sir John Tremayne (Gerald Harper) and
ever-so-serious family solicitor Herbert Parchester (Martin Wimbush).
As Bill anguishes over whether to leave his
Lambeth ways to join the aristocracy, and in doing so abandon his girlfriend
Sally (Louise English) we are treated to a feast of sing-along classics,
including Me and My Girl, The Sun Has Got His Hat On and
Leaning on a Lampost.
Over the years this musical will have been
performed on more glamorous sets by bigger names.
However for a great evening's entertainment
where the audience leave cheerily singing along to the Lambeth Walk,
Me and My Girl at the Alex is definitely worth braving the winter cold for.
Me & My Girl continues at the Alexandra
Theatre, Birmingham, until 19 January 2002.
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"FIRST NIGHT:
Hats off to Santa"
By Fred Norris
Evening Mail; 18 December 2001; pg.19
Me and My Girl, Alexandra Theatre: THIS
is the one Santa pulled out of his bag to save the Alex closing this Christmas.
And, as the saying goes, you never look
a gift horse in the mouth.
It may, for the moment, lack that glow
of sheer happiness that has encircled certain previous productions, but any show
that invites us to take part in the boisterously infectious Lambeth Walk can
never go too far wrong.
The whole thing was created, virtually
at the last minute, by the veteran actor-manager Charles Vance when the Alex
suddenly lost its original festive season show Saturday Night Fever and the
theatre faced a dark Christmas.
In that respect, hats off to Charles
Vance.
But while the sun may have its hat on it
needs to beam down in particular on Hal Fowler, as Bill Snibson, the cockney who
becomes an earl. The ice perfection of his performance needs melting; he should
be something of a naughty but lovable "littleboy."
Instead of being a highlight, his
Leaning on a Lamp Post is a mere routine.
No such complaints with the lovely and
accomplished Louise English, star of the London production.
She knows full well that the secret of
this show is in the song, Love Makes the World Go Round.
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"Me and My Girl"
By Andy Knowles
Excerpted from BBCi
Opposite him (Hal Fowler) Louise English
recreated the role of Sally she's successfully filled twice in the West End
productions (with Karl Howman and Les Dennis), singing soulfully and bringing
the right mixture of sweetness and strength of character to a part she so
clearly enjoys portraying.
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"Late Change Was Much Appreciated"
Excerpted from This is Worcestershire; 4 January 2002
The accomplished Hal Fowler
takes to the stage as Cockney lad, Bill Snibson, complete with a dictionary of
rhyming slang, who is like a fish out of water when he finds himself heir
to a fortune and shacked-up with a family of aristocratic misfits.
It is the challenge of Maria,
Duchess of Dene, to train Bill to behave like a gentleman in order to earn him
his family rights, played well by Joan Savage.
Yet it was the star of the
London production, Louise English, who truly illuminated the stage as Sally
Smith; Bill's lovely Lambeth lass.
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"GO!
THEATRE: STAGE WHISPERS"
By Marion McMullen
Evening Telegraph; 19 October 2001; pg.
31
A record 10,000 tickets have so far been
sold for the hit musical Me and My Girl starring Gerald Harper and West End
stars Hal Fowler and Louise English. The Christmas special opens at the
Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham on December 14 before a London revival next
year.
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"Me
And My Girl"
By Matthew Winn
Excerpted from Google Groups;
31 December 2001
The two leads are wonderful:
Hal Fowler makes a suitably snobbish Bill Snibson, and Louise English, reprising
the role in which she made her first West End appearance a decade-and-a-half
ago, is an enchanting Sally Smith and gives a powerfully emotional performance.
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"Private Lives – Haymarket Theatre,
Basingstoke"
By Brian Gibson
Excerpted from The Stage; 29 February 1996
They (Rupert Frazer and Judy Buxton) were strongly supported by Giles Watling
(Victor Prynne) and Louise English (Sibyl Chase), whose performances were never
better than when reacting to the events unfolding around them – English
literally trembling with the frustration of it all at times.
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