The Sorcerer (2023) - BATS Review

The Sorcerer

New Rosemere

28th March 2023

The Sorcerer explores young love, the perils of meddling in others’ relationships and the unpredictability of love potions applied indiscriminately. As always, with Gilbert’s plots, there are plenty of problems across class boundaries, misunderstandings, and unresolved dilemmas.  The plot concerns Alexis, who is passionately in love with Aline, and wants his entire village to be equally blessed, so employs a Sorcerer to put a love potion in the tea at his wedding reception.

Director Paul Cohen and Musical Director Paul Stanley have produced a lavish and polished production where dialogue is delivered swiftly and lightly in a very amusing fashion, and everyone on stage, including the members of the chorus, has been given a role. This means that there is always interest on stage, but it is never too ‘busy’.

David Griffiths and Eleanor Molloy play Alexis and Aline who are in love and about to be betrothed. Like any young couple in love, they cannot understand why others are not as happy as they are and wish that everyone else should fall in love. Great performances from them both.  But, unknown to them, their respective parents, Lady Sangazure and Sir Marmaduke Pointdextre played by the excellent Hannah Carolan and Peter Bowden, were once in love themselves but, constrained by the rigid constraints of their time and never married each other. 

Meanwhile, the teenage Constance Partlet played by Hannah Salter is in love with the elderly confirmed bachelor Dr Daly played by Mike Nash-Whitmore, the village vicar, and her social superior. Great performances from them both.  Heather Nicholas plays Miss Partlet, the pew-owner to perfection and a great comedic presence.  Supporting the main cast are Steve Brennan as the lawyer and Malcolm Evans as the Notary. 

Jonathan Allen plays John Wellington Wells, the Sorcerer as an East-end ‘spiv’.  A great performance and his rendition of “My Name is John Wellington Wells” is one of the many highlights of this show. 

A true ensemble piece of theatre where the ladies and gentlemen of the chorus contributed to the full and a great introduction to G&S if you’ve never been lucky enough to see one before. 

Jason Crompton

28/3/23

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