The Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond has quickly gained itself a fine reputation for its imaginative revivals of less well-known musicals. And now it's the turn of Kander and Ebb's The Rink.
The strong-willed, feisty, and indomitable heroine, Anna Gay Soper, in the best part she's had in years - in fact Soper is super.
Anna has had enough of the skating rink and has just sold it. She's off to Italy for a holiday. Now her former flower-power daughter Angel comes back from California at exactly the wrong time. Unfortunately she has forged Angel's signature on the sale documents - and Angel is furious when she finds out.
By the end of the evening we know all the sad history of both mother and daughter but the situation ends satisfactorily, helped by a shiningly mellifluous score from Kander and Ebb. The strangely haunting and highly romantic song Blue Crystal contrasts perfectly with such front and centre knockouts as The Apple Doesn't Fall, Wallflower, and We Can Make It. This staging emphasises the show's often hidden beauty and a certain basic gentleness.
It's also better-sung than any other production I've seen or heard. The cast are versatile, talented, and attractive. Although there's rather less roller-skating than in the original production, due to the small stage, the title tune receives the full show-stopping treatment. Gillian Kirkpatrick makes an exasperating but lovable daughter, with a beautiful voice and acting skills to match. The all-male wrecking crew perform all the other parts, male and female, with great aplomb. The Rink has never been a commercially successful show. This zesty production, the work of John Gardyne, really makes you wonder why.
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