Village hall to broadway in the dimming of house lights

You assume they are there but there’s no activity.

Sedlescombe Village Hall strikes me as the same, there must be something happening but I don’t get to see it.

But after dark the sett comes alive.

This is what happened on Tuesday when Sedlescombe Players staged the first night of their production of Guys & Dolls.

This had to be a challenge too far for the previously successful director and often star, Tara Buchanan.

This show was first produced in 1950 on Broadway, reproduced in the West End by 1953 and almost continuously around the world since.

If you are looking for a big budget, high profile extravaganza, then don’t bother.

But for high octane and great entertainment, then this is your venue.

I am challenged to write 200 words when 2000 are nowhere near enough.

From a Village Hall to Broadway in the dimming of the house lights.

The opening and closing cameos set the scene at just the right pitch.

The imaginative scenery and colourful costumes gave the feel of a live action cartoon, again just right!

Live music and most of all a big live cast, 29 at my count (without the delightful Hitchcockess appearances of the director) there wasn’t a weak link amongst them.

Literally every one of the actors in leading roles was delightful, energetic and believable – and they can sing!

In the leading roles were Mark Stevens and Imogen Willetts (Sky and Sarah), Simon Newbury and Keren Keeler-Moore (Nathan Detroit and Miss Adelaide), Bob Murray (Nicely Nicely) and Steve Bishop (Benny).

But what about the rest? Where do you get 12 hoods in Sedlescombe who actually look, sound and feel like hoods? Brilliant.

The temperature rose by at least 20˚ as the body heat of the male audience watched the showgirls rendition of ‘Take Back Your Mink’.

Hot Box - it was by name and by degree.

Luck Be A Lady was anything but craps and their rendition of Sit Down You’re Rockin the Boat certainly rocked mine.

You must ask yourself why they set their sights so high.

The answer must be because they can - and they do it so well.

Mission impossible by many stretches of the imagination I’d Follow this Fold again anywhere.

Well done and do it again soon please.