Lend Me a Tenor

Faringdon Folly

Lend me a tenor: Garrison theatre company from Canada seeks exchange with similar English company. Likes travel. Good sense of humour essential.

The play, a farce about an opera singer, but with no singing, was brought to Faringdon by the Garrison Little Theatre Company for two performances in late September at the Junior School. This was the first exchange visit between the Fort Erie, Ontario company and the Faringdon Dramatic Society. They found each other through an internet search on the part of the Canadians to connect with a similar theatre group in England. Consequently a party of 12 arrived a week before, eight of them in the cast of Ken Ludwig’s ‘Lend me a tenor’. It’s a well-known play, performed around the world, but adapted on this occasion to a contemporary Toronto setting. The chief character is Italian opera star Tito Morelli, ‘Il Stupendo’, who arrives just in time for a one-off sell-out performance in the city. A host of coincidences, misunderstandings, double entrendres and innuendoes abound through the two acts leading towards a farcical ending. The opera star, played by Chuck Jagiello, overdoses on tranquilizers, is taken for dead and in an attempt to cover up, his understudy and company gopher, Max, played by Vince Marinaccio, takes his place. He sings a blinder and fools the whole world, apparently. He was excellent and reminded me of Gene Wilder, in his role in the original film of “The Producers” . It helps that Signor Morelli has brought two sets of identical costumes and that he was playing Othello, and on waking up gets dressed for the part and is refused admission to the theatre as an impostor. The whole scenario begins to unravel and reaches a climax when both Othellos are on stage at the same time, identically dressed. Strong performances from the rest of the cast, including Saunders, the general manager, played by Derek Joynes, (who also happens to be a founder member and chairman of Garrison), Maria Morelli (Maxine Simons) and Diana (Joyce Stark). The show was directed by Darka Makarec, with assistance and technical support by James Reid. The set was built by the FDS crew. Both performances were well attended and there is no doubt that the audience thoroughly enjoyed the show, They rolled with the jokes and sat in anticipation of the next one coming along. The company returned to Fort Erie to perform the play in their home town. The Canadian visitors also took the opportunity to get in some sightseeing in Oxford, London, the Folly tower and elsewhere and were the special guests at a reception held for them by FDS at the Old Town Hall. They were put up by members of the theatre company and adopted the Red Lion as their local for the week. The plan is for FDS to take the Richard Harris play ‘Outside Edge’ to Ontario next May and perform it in the usual venue of Garrison - the Italian-Canadian Club in downtown Fort Erie. It’s a play about cricket, that should baffle them. In the meantime FDS are looking forward to putting on their annual pantomime at the end of January, they are reviving Peter Panto, last seen in 1995 and adapted from the J.M.Barrie story by FDS member Peter Webster.

Al Cane Faringdon Folly November 2007

National Operatic & Dramatic Association London Area Report Society Production Date Venue Report by FARINGDON DRAMATIC SOCIETY Lend Me a Tenor 28-29 September 2007 Faringdon Junior School Gareth Jeremy. Region 12

Firstly, my thanks to Karen Whiffen, for inviting me to this production.

I’m sure your Society is grateful to Kate Lord, for making contact with the Garrison Little Theatre.

I’m sure you all had a busy week, but an enjoyable one, in each others company. Faringdon must be a lot quieter this week!! I’m sure many of your members, who are able to go, are looking forward to the trip to Canada, next May 2008 – and I’m sure the audiences there will thoroughly enjoy Outside Edge by Richard Harris. (You may have to explain some of the cricket rules beforehand!!). Good luck to you all, and I’m sure many friendships have been formed, which will last for many years – and in the future, for both societies. My own Society in Banbury has been linked with Hannef (Germany) for the past 25 years, and we visit them with a show every two years, and many of our members make private visits too.

Darka Makarec (Director) made an excellent choice, with this show. It also meant that the liaison required “backstage” with the Faringdon group – the Set could be kept fairly simple – and we know how well the “Faringdon Set Construction Team” work to build strong, solid sets, which will last any “heavy handed” use of doors etc. I’m sure a lot of correspondence had taken place over a number of months to make sure that the Set, Wardrobe, props, Lighting, Sound etc were as required – and that proof was there for the audience to see – everything seemed to run like clockwork. As mentioned in the programme, James Reid (Assistant Director) had a large input into the show that came to Faringdon.

As to the show – the cast profiles showed that the group of actors were experienced, and very talented, who had learned their stage craft over a number of years. Their diction was clear, timing precise, mannerisms and facial expressions superb, especially Brian Huney, as Bellhop. He kept it up throughout the entire show, when he appeared on stage. Well done to all of you.

It would be wrong of me to comment on each individual actor, because they were a very accomplished set of actors – there was not a weak link amongst them – and I thought that they appreciated the audience’s reactions to certain parts of the show – and I’m sure it made them feel very relaxed, but they didn’t lose their concentration.

One or two small personal points – during the opening ten minutes of the show, I felt there was too much “standing around” on the set; more use perhaps could have been made of the settee, which was centre stage. Also I would have liked to have seen a little more care with Max’s make-up, when he was being made up to look like the real world famous Tito Morelli. There was far too much “white” showing along the neckline, and also his hands. Perhaps some “platform” boots to make him taller – so that the audience would have had no doubts!! Both their costumes were fantastic. Congratulations to the wardrobe team.

The programme was well presented by Dave Headey. All the information was clear and precise – good quality paper was used, and the photographs of the cast profiles very clear. Everyone from the Faringdon society did their “behind the scenes” jobs in a very professional manner – and it was a change for some of them to enjoy being entertained, rather than having to do the entertaining under the footlights.

Thank you, Garrison Little Theatre, for a very enjoyable evenings’ entertainment – we had a good laugh – and that’s part of the fun.

I hope both Societies have gained, and shared thoughts from the experience – and I do hope that in years to come, there will be a return visit to Faringdon.

Gareth Jeremy, Region 12, London Area