Southwick Opera "knock the socks off" their audiences

CARNIVAL - L'amour, L'amour, Love  Review by Millie Bysh
Photo by David RobertsonPhoto by David Robertson
Photo by David Robertson

Devised by Simon Gray and Sarah-Leanne Humphreys, 'Carnival' knocked the socks off audiences at the Barn Theatre in Southwick last week.

The play centres on a love triangle between the owner of the carnival (Gareth Ashley), his wife (Veronica Brooks) and the lead tenor from the carnival troupe (Tim Crouch). Carnival also features many solo and group acts from all the cast members, coming together to form a fantastical medley of musical numbers, expertly choreographed dances, and even a trapeze act! Stand-out performances included Sissy and Sally Sanders (Claire Dixon and Karen Hudson) and the Puppeteer and his assistant (Luc Harvengt and Alice Hamilton), who demonstrated astonishing vocal capability in her performance as the puppet-doll in the second act. The magician's assistants (Jose Lumactod and Sammy Ardron) also deserve notable mention, as their slapstick comedy gags added many moments of humour to the wondrous spectacles that made up the performance.

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The Magician himself (Paul Wylie) came into the audience at key moments in the show, raising the stakes and creating an ominous atmosphere where necessary. The show wouldn't have been the same without the chorus, who came to sit in the audience for much of the show. Breaking the fourth wall was a wonderful touch, really making the audience feel involved in the world of the carnival. One member of the chorus said that she felt privileged to work with such a great bunch of people. Gray commented that Carnival was everything he had hoped for. The show also received excellent feedback from audience members.

Southwick Opera's next show will be 'A Night at the Opera', featuring staged and costumed scenes from a range of operas by Mozart, Puccini, Verdi and more, showing from 10-12th November.

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