Joy Watters is warmly charmed by Pitlochry's latest festive offering.
Pitlochry is carving itself a golden niche with its musicals, and they've done it again with a fabulously festive advent show. As one of the characters remarks, 'The night is cold but the music's hot,' and so it is. Leaving the dark A9, the theatre glows warmly beside the snow-filled car park and the scene is already set.
From the moment, the band strikes up, there's the sense that this is going to be fun, and so it is. Granted, while White Christmas is not one of the best written, it is at least Le Grand Fromage of the cheesy musical genre. John Durnin's production is not hampered in any way by the thin nature of the material, with cast and band giving it their all in a colourful and entertaining package.
The story tells of a couple of army pals, turned song and dance stars, who rally to their old general's aid with a show at his rundown holiday inn in Vermont. The romantic side shows the pals finding love with a pair of sisters. One of the girls, of course, loathes her guy to begin with but it all comes good in the end.
Grant Neal and Simon Coulthard, as Bob and Phil, bring a wealth of musical experience to the show. Neal is the cheeky womaniser tamed and Coulthard more of the romantic lead. There's some lovely back-up from the chorus, singing and dancing with never-ending brio and the familiar songs, ‘White Christmas’, ‘Blue Skies’, ‘How Deep is the Ocean’, ‘I Love a Piano’ and ‘I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm’, are all rendered with obvious affection.
At the heart of the show's success lies the excellent band, under the baton of MD Hilary Brooks, ensuring that the most is made of every single note of Irving Berlin's score. Sometimes hidden and sometimes incorporated into the action, the band is a constant delight. Adrian Rees' design works a treat with the traditional festive Christmas card look to it.
There is the added delight of seeing an enormous cast at work in these cash-strapped days for theatre. Twenty performers in all fill the stage, making the most of roles, some of which are pretty underwritten. It was a great idea to stage this work at this time in the theatre in the hills. The journey is well worth it for a warming entertainment.
White Christmas is at Pitlochry Festival Theatre until December 23.
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