St Philip’s AODS present Me and My Girl

IF toe-tapping music, plenty of laughs and vivid costumes appeal to you then you are guaranteed to enjoy Me and My Girl.

The production by St Philip’s AODS’ large cast kept the audience entertained from start to finish.

The musical, based in the late 1930s, tells the tale of cheeky chappy Bill Snibson (Anthony Brookes), a cockney, who learns he is heir to the Earl of Hereford.

Like a fish out of water it details how he, his family and associates take the changes.

Inheriting the title and the wealth is faced with all kinds of troubles but none more upsetting than Bill fearing he will lose his long-time love from Lambeth, Sally Smith (Louise Davenport).

An array of stunning costumes from pretty floral dresses, top hats and cloaks really gave the production a boost and demonstrated the contrasting lives of working class Lambeth and aristocrats perfectly.

Dresses worn by the character Sally were particularly stunning. Mr Brookes’ take on Bill was thoroughly enjoyable and contained just the right amount of wit and youthfulness. Ms Davenport and Vicky Muir, who played Lady Jacqueline Carstone, wowed the audience with their fantastic voices.

Ms Muir's duet of You Would if You Could with Mr Brookes was particularly enjoyable.

The large cast including a male and female chorus gave the production an edge other adaptations, both professional and amateur have sometimes lacked. The cast, although fairly sizeable was perfectly choreographed and added to the entertainment. Everything about St Phillip’s AODS’ performance seemed to run perfectly smoothly. The staging, which in one scene included a material backdrop of a library with images of the Earl’s ancestors, showed how no stone had been left unturned by the production team.

Tap dancing, forward rolls and of course The Lambeth Walk complete with dance movements had people of all ages smiling and toe-tapping in the auditorium. The four piece orchestra deserves a big mention. The orchestra’s music was first class and again shows how professional those involved in St Philip’s AODS are.

Everyone involved in the production deserves a huge round of applause.

Me and My Girl is an extremely enjoyable show for people of all ages - but perhaps it should come with a warning that singing the show’s songs in your head for the rest of the evening is highly likely.