REVIEW: Little Voice, Barn Theatre, Southwick

YOU know you have seen a good play when you end up feeling you have been through the same turmoil as the characters.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Dec 2015, 12:32 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 05:33 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

The cast for Southwick Players Little Voice, before director Tony Bright stepped into the role of Ray SayThe cast for Southwick Players Little Voice, before director Tony Bright stepped into the role of Ray Say
The cast for Southwick Players Little Voice, before director Tony Bright stepped into the role of Ray Say

Such was the power of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, it was actually handy to have a helping hand to guide me out afterwards.

Receiving a richly deserved standing ovation, the Southwick Players’ performance was one of the best I have ever seen at The Barn Theatre in Southwick.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Every members of the six-strong cast played a blinder, under the direction of Tony Bright, who had to take to the stage himself at the last minute.

Just a few weeks before opening night, Tony had to take over the role of Ray Say but being the stalwart performer that he is, this was no problem for him.

He joined a stellar cast, topped by Claire Lewis, a long-standing thespian making her acting debut with Southick Players.

She was just stunning as Mari, LV’s drunken mother, holding nothing back as she staggered around their home.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bob Woodman, working with the Players for the first time, made the perfect side kick, Mari’s long-suffering neighbour Sadie.

Richard Lindfield, who has directed for the Players before but not acted with them, took great command as night club owner Mr Boo, while young Laurence Bown, as Billy, showed great control and potential for the future.

Finally, there was Little Voice, so little in fact, that you did wonder where on earth that amazing voice came from.

Zöe Saunders, who has had a number of roles with the Players over the last four years, really enabled us to see the transformation from shy girl to star performer.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She played it just right, making LV a rather hunched up little thing until she sang and then, she managed to get the different voices needed to portray LV’s favourite singers, too.

There was a brilliant cabaret sequence both as the audience entered and during the interval – a nice touch.

And Len Shipton deserves high praise for the set design. The way the fire was projected was incredibly effective and the turn around to reveal the fire-damaged home was faultless. The team even managed to project the smell of a burned out home into the audience, amazing.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make our website your homepage at www.shorehamherald.co.uk

2 Like our Facebook page at Shoreham Herald Facebook

3 Follow us on Twitter @Shoreham_Herald

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Shoreham Herald - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.