past productions | news articles - The New Moon

"New Moon" is as bright as ever.
The "New Moon" shone brightly at the King's Theatre last night and proved how ageless is the appeal of the Sigmund Romberg musical. Certainly, the Glasgow Light Opera Club got off to a shaky start, and missed cues and false entries abounded. But once over the hurdles of first night nerves, the company soon settled down to provide a musical which was obviously familiar to most of the audience.

Since the story line has many twists and turns, it is perhaps wiser to ignore it altogether and concentrate on such popular numbers as "Lover, Come Back To Me," "Wanting You," "One Kiss,"and "Stouthearted Men."

Stewart Buchanan, once he got over his initial nervousness made a virile Robert. Margaret Murdoch was the epitome of all musical comedy heroines - sweetly tuneful and carrying her crinoline gracefully.

Edna Smith, Barbara McLeod and Jack Holmes were in charge of the comedy and showed how to make bricks without straw.

And where would any amateur company be without their chorus? John Tweedie conducted with verve and managed to weld the musical into a coherent whole.

D. McN.

Opera group's "New Moon"
The Glasgow Opera Group(Amateur) Staged the musical"New Moon" last night at the King's Theatre, Glasgow.

The group-in the past they have staged successfully Gilbert and Sullivan and Rogers and Hammerstein-were perhaps a little over ambitious in this production.

Their enthusiasm never quite matched the quality of the Oscar Hammerstein songs.

Praise must go to Edna Smith for a convincing performance as Clotilde Lombaste, and Barbara McLeod as Julie.The dancers in this musical, set just before the French revolution were well rehearsed but have still to learn to make full use of the stage space available to them.

A. M.