Mossley move no calamity

CALAMITY JANE, George Lawton Hall, Mossley
THE now-nomadic Ashton Operatic Society moves from its Tameside Hippodrome home to Mossley‘s public hall and the result is a bit like the fate suffered by the musical’s singer — who moves from sophisticated Chicago to a small cabin in the North Dakota hills.

Still, she ends up happy, and if the evidence of this production is anything to go by, Ashton OS might too, if they decide to stay.

The enforced move from the Hippodrome to the one-third-its-capacity George Lawton Hall means virtually every seat this week is sold.

The big sets aren’t needed, which saves money, and the cast doesn’t have to be bolstered by no-hopers to fill the large stage, because there isn’t a large stage.

But the real revelation here isn’t the tightness of the show or the brightness of the chorus and supporting players and timing of the orchestra, but the leading players, Kirsty Brookes and Steve Harrison, as Jane and Bill Hickok.

Harrison isn’t that good an actor but here looks the part of a bluff cowboy figure. Likewise Brookes doesn’t offer a lot of fizz in her performance as Jane. But when both sing, you can forget any idea of having to make compromises in enjoyment for the quality of amateur voices. Harrison has a remarkable warmth: his intonation on some notes reminded me of the likes of Nat King Cole. Meanwhile, Brookes did the sweetest performance of “Secret Love” I’ve heard since Doris Day’s.

As far as I’m concerned, Ashton can take up residence in their cabin in the Black Hills, though they might turn down the hall’s heat a little . . .