GAMA Youth

Past Show Reviews from NODA Scotland News written by John Urquhart, District 7 (Fife) representative

2011 ((24-26 February) - The Wizard of Oz

Director: Derek Walker     Musical Director: Bob Barclay     Choreographer: Meredith Miles

Full houses prevailed for what was an ambitious show and the young cast tackled it with aplomb.  Good performances from Marc James as the Wicked Witch, Jack Hughes as the Wizard, Lauren McCaw as Glinda, Adele Brown as Aunt Em and Callum Moodie as Uncle Henry.  Adele Ward and Amber Sinclair-Case, I believe, both portrayed Dorothy exceptionally well.  The trio of Greg Sives (Tin Man), Joe Kinnear (Scarecrow) and Dylan Ross (The Lion) all played their parts convincingly, working well together and along with the Dorothys, keeping the story flowing.  Other members of the company tackled the remaining parts with much enthusiasm.  Indeed enthusiasm was a key feature in the success of the show.  The full chorus numbers were most effective.  Clearly a lot of work had gone into rehearsals.  The backcloth projection worked well in creating scenes and was augmented by selected props.  There were also some nice effects.  Congratulations!

2010 (18-20 February) - "Tin Pan Ali"

Director/Choreographer: Neil Hamilton         Musical Director: Lesley Anne Mines        Production Assistant: Kenna Orkney

 I must confess that I have always thought that "Tin Pan Ali" was a cleverly conceived show with some lovely melodies. It certainly gave the young people of GAMA Youth plenty of opportunity to display their talents. There were lots of parts and groups so that everyone could be involved. Principal parts, too numerous to mention, were all well played. The various groups all performed their own numbers to good effect with lots of enthusiasm. I particularly enjoyed "The Dust-Cart Rag" and the "Dancing Song", although "The Pride of Old Chicago Town" sung by the family worked well. The small orchestra provided an effective accompaniment. The setting looked good and was used effectively. Costuming must have been a major headache but worked well and also looked good. Congratulations to everyone on attempting a full scale musical so successfully. 

2009 (19-21 February) - "Cinderella"

Director: Derek Walker      Music Co-ordinator: Kenna Orkney      Choreographers: Katherine Skene and Sarah Kelly

It was lovely to see GAMA Youth tackle something different, and this was certainly a pantomime with a difference! Clearly the youth members had had a big hand in staging this pantomime, and great credit to them and the whole production team for the final outcome. It was great to see so many people on stage in the ensemble numbers, not just being there but working hard. Everyone knew their words and sang so enthusiastically. Michael Grieve and Joe Kinnear made the ideal partnership as the ugly sisters Petunia and Nasturtium. They were good foils for each other and had wonerfully over the top outfits. Katherine Skene was a strong Cinderella with a great voice. Nicole English as Prince Charming and Katy Light as Dandini were a good pairing. Hannah Wilson was a very down to earth Gladys the Fairy Godmother. Staging, while simple, had a strong sense of style and the full stage scenes had a good feeling of space allowing the large cast to be seen to advantage.

2008 (24-26 April) - "Showcase"

Directors: Scott Melvin, Kenna Orkney, Karen Campbell, Peter Easson and Lorraine King      Musical Director: Jillian Spence

For their third production GAMA Youth returned to a staged concert style show, providing the opportu­nity for many of the members to showcase their talents. Different sections had different directors, which must have made the rehearsal and staging into a massive organizational effort, but the final result proved all the work was worthwhile. The sections were linked with solo numbers which were all well presented and delivered. The "Hits of the Decades" and "Disney Dazzle" sections were my favourites, until the finale with the "Sister Act" medley captured the audience's imagination. Staging was imagina­tive, with good lighting effects and simple yet effective costuming. Congratulations to all the young people. They were well prepared, clearly knew all their words and performed with such confidence.

2007 (25-27 May) - Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat"

Director: lain Rowbotham         Musical Director: Peter Robinson         Choreographer: Fiona Butchart

For their second production GAMA Youth used this show as a vehicle to showcase the talents of the youngsters involved. Every opportunity was taken to involve the company as much as possible in this highly original production. The show was well rehearsed and the youngsters certainly did not lack commit­ment. Gillian Deas was exceptional as the Narrator. She used her voice well and linked the whole piece very effectively. Katherine Skene as Joseph used her voice to good effect and captured the character well. Jordan Ratcliffe rose to the opportunities provided by the part of Pharoah, making "Song of the King" one of the highlights of the evening. The brothers were all well portrayed and worked well as a team. Bi­anca Cooper as the Stage Manager also linked the scenes amusingly. Orchestral accompaniment was just right, allowing the young voices to carry effectively. Well done to everyone on your hard work!

2006 (24-25 May) - "Debut"

Directors: Alan Urquhart, Abbie Pryde, and Fiona Butchart

It's always exciting to atted the inaugural production of a new company, especially when it is set up for young people to provide them with insight into musical theatre through education and performance. Right from the start, the sixty youngsters demonstrated sheer enthusiasm as they treated us to a medley from shows like "Oliver", "Grease" and "Carousel" to name but a few. Interspersed between sections were link songs which enabled lots of people to showcase their individual talents. Staging was simple but imaginative and effective, ensuring that the whole evening had a great "wow" factor. Clearly a lot of hard work had gone in to reach this standard of performance. Congratuations not only to those on stage but also the production team. I am really looking forward to the next production!