THE GOOD INTENT. To 29 November.

Hornchurch

THE GOOD INTENT
by Dave Ross and Gerry Sweeney Music by Nick Dawson, Dave Ross and Ray Shea

Queen's Theatre To 29 November 2003
Tue-Sat 8pm Mat 8 November 2pm
Audio-described 29 November 2pm
BSL Signed/Backchat 19 November
Runs 2hr One interval

TICKETS: 01708 443333
Review: Timothy Ramsden 112 November

It may be new writing, but it's old material.Every cliché in the book, on the spool and out of the memory seems to have contributed to this locally-tinged World War II musical. The result might successfully make those for whom the forties are memories misty-eyed, but it produces little by way of drama.

A shame, because some way in, the script seems to be exploring beyond the hearty surface of wartime fellowship. Torpedoed Jim's gone AWOL, unable to face a return to war. Seeing his wife chatted up by bright young US airman Sanders Draper (over here, but with strictly honest intentions), Jim's tormented to jealous violence, while having to skulk away when the red-caps come searching for him.

But the situation fizzles out in stern pride and stock expressions. Sanders, as is heavily semaphored by the plotline, dies with heroic uselessness not in combat but let down by an engine fault, steering clear of the local school as he crashes. In character terms, this omelette's made of good eggs all-round.

Bob Carlton's resident company, cut to the chase', gives it a good fling. Whether round the bar of their significantly-named local The Good Intent', in Rose and Bill's kitchen, at the (munitions?) factory gate or on the airfield with its jocularity cut-into with good eggs scrambling for battle, these character types are all played with good will.

Cast members not in the story sit around in deck-chairs, striking up as the band for one of the pleasant tunes which you possibly expect to come out humming, though they're not likely to survive much past the car-park or bus-stop. Still, they were nice while they were happening (more than can be said for some bigger-scale scores).

The piece seems happiest when it's allowed to take its time, as with the recurring comical air-rid warden duo, sketches in which James Earl Adair, Jim Bywater and the audience enjoy themselves immensely. In contrast, the other highlights are the apparent verbatim accounts of fighter-flying and some vivid air-battle film inserts.

Sanders Draper: Ben Goddard
Charlie/2nd MP: Philip Reed
Dickie/Tommy/1st MP: Richard Emerson
Rose: Emily Gardner
Ivy/Pat: Carol Sloman
Edie: Loveday Smith
Pops/Arthur: James Earl Adair
Jock/Bert: Jim Bywater
Jim: Nick Lashbrook

Director: Bob Carlton
Designer: Rodney Ford
Lighting: Matthew Eagland
Sound: Scott George for Aura
Musical director: Carol Sloman
Visual projection: Paul Kenah

2003-11-17 16:22:47