The Pajama Game
Gold Coast Little Theatre
Saturday 8th November 2014
Well as much as it pains me to type the word “pyjama” with
an “a” (the American spelling) I have to say my annoyance ends there. Last
night the Gold Coast Little Theatre
opened it’s musical production for 2014 and I think it will be a hit with
audiences.
The Pajama Game first opened on Broadway in 1954 and ran for well
over 1000 performances – a day when, I suppose an extra 7½ cents an hour really
would have made a difference to an employee’s pay packet. The story made it’s
mark internationally in 1957 when Warner
Bros released the movie version of the same name starring the ever-pure Doris Day in the lead role of Babe, (a name that since 1995 will
forevermore, sadly, be associated with a singing pig!)
It’s a sweet and simple story (based on the novel 7½ Cents by Richard Bissell) of a burgeoning romance and a union dispute both
brewing in a pyjama factory in a time of Dictaphones, big petty coats and corny
company picnics! The musical (originally choreographed by the legendary Bob
Fosse) is a celebration of love, understanding and all things good from that era.
In this production, Director Stuart Lumsden has worked hard to fit the action and varied
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| Chris Catherwood & Louise Harris |
locations
into a static set. The movement of numerous well-designed set pieces helps
transport us from workroom to office to kitchen. The colour palette used in the
lovely set finishing and costuming is really attractive and clearly well
considered.
The charming Louise
Harris carries the lead role with all the saccharine delight of her famous
predecessors: her voice is simply stunning and, like her character, her
performance is strong. Chris Catherwood
plays the firm but fair superintendent, Mr
Sorokin with equal aplomb. However, as with many such stories, it’s the
support characters that are given the best opportunities to shine. In this
case, Becky Morgan and Leigh Harrison step up to the plate
quite beautifully as Gladys the ditsy
secretary and Hines, the ever-jealous,
knife-throwing workshop timekeeper. Ms Morgan’s accent is wonderful and her
“tragic drunk” scene in act II is an absolute joy.
The show is performed entirely to quality backing tracks.
While this offers a nice, big orchestral sound not possible in a small theatre
space, it is not necessarily easy on the performers and does have its
drawbacks. It’s an age-old problem, I know. Maybe the mic plot needs to be
re-considered so that performers who have lines in a particular song are wearing a mic, and those who do not,
are not! It’s just a little sad that
some vocals are being lost under the amplified music. As one patron commented:
Why can I hear the typewriter but not half of the lines?” Technically there
were a few minor issues on Opening Night but I have no doubt they will be
arrested before the next performance. (Note to follow spot operators: Please aim
before powering up your lamp!)
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| Lee Pattersen & Leigh Harrison |
This show is full of colour and movement and some lovely, recognisable songs: it’s bright, fun
and entertaining … and now that the tram is running, the fences are down and
after-hours parking is free, is well worth the trip into Southport.
By the way – a bit of Broadway trivia. For all of those
“chorus girls” out there dreaming of being up front one day, it was the
original Pajama Game that gave rise to
one of the brightest stars in the world of entertainment today. She was “just
in the chorus” but when Carol Haney
(in the comic support role of Gladys)
broke her ankle, the long-legged dancer and potential showbiz legend, was asked
to step out of the chorus and go on in Haney’s place. She played the role of Gladys for several months and was
subsequently spotted by producer Hal
Wallis who instantly offered her a contract at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood.
Carol Haney never enjoyed the success of that chorus girl – known and admired
the world-over today as Shirley MacLaine.
