110 In The Shade
Review by Emma Shane © July
1999
It was not so much a case of Lizzie’s Coming Home as
"Welcome Back Louise". By far and away the best thing about Ian
Marshall Fisher’s Lost Musicals production of 110 In The Shade
was that marked the return of Lost Musicals stalwart, the versatile an
very talented Louise Gold, as Lizzie, after being absent last year, due
to filming commitments. An appearance made all the more surprising by its being
a delightful surprise; (knowing Kim Criswell has been gunning for that
role for years I was fully expecting her to play it. I like Kim, but in the
event I was not the least disappointed), after all there is just nothing lik'> Pop and the boys go the
ask Fyle, played convincingly enough by Mark McKerracher. However he
refuses all their offers, in The Poker Polka. It eventually turns
out he just does not appear to want anyone's company, especially not the
company of a family with an unmarried young woman. For Fyle likes everyone to
think he’s a widower, and everyone pretends to, but they all know that really
Fyle is a divorced man.
At the picnic grounds,
in the hope that Fyle will come along, Lizzie, who is evidently rather keen on
him has put on a new dress. Lizzie is full of fun and excitement looking
forward to the picnic. She joins The Company with The Hungary Men,
and her voice merged with theirs to produce an extra strong chorus in the
second part of the song (the kind of thing Louise Gold has provided on
many occasions, from her Muppet Show days onwards). H.C and the
boys turn up and have to break the news to her that Fyle has refused their
invitation, because there is a crook on the loose, name of Tornado Johnsonn,
and he feels he needs to stay in his office and attend to his job. Lizzie is
disappointed, and all four of them are finding the heat far too much, Noah is
having a go at Jim, which makes Lizzie angry, and she winds up swearing loudly "Hell,
Hell, Hell". At this moment a strange sound is heard, and a stranger,
who calls himself Starbuck, very well played by John Capes, enters.
Starbuck claims that he is a rainmaker, and that for $100 in advance he will
bring rain within 24 hours. With The Company he sings The Rain Song.
HC agrees to pay Starbuck $100, despite Noah and Lizzie’s protests. Jim however
believes in the Rainmaker's promises too, and offers to go off beating a drum
for him, he is followed by his girl Snookey. HC agrees to help too, and
Starbuck send him off he paint a big arrow on the ground, to protect against
lightening. Even Noah is persuaded to go and tie the legs of a mule together.
Lizzie however is not impressed. Not only is Starbuck content to swindle them, he
has to make a laughing stock of them all. However as she tells him You’re
Not Foolin Me. This song was a great number, for two fine performers. John
Capes handled himself well, but got rather overshadowed by his co-star in a
manner that we have not witnessed in a Lost Musical since Oh Kay.
Starbuck criticises Lizzie, asking her how she’d treat a man. She gets a laugh
by saying she’d have it out man to man, and he tells her that she’s not a
woman. This was followed by the company singing Cinderella, with
Lizzie adding the line "Can’t catch me" as she ran out of the
scene.
Lizzie cannot fathom
why she can never get a man. True she is plain, but is there more to it? Lizzie
wants to be straight and honest with a man, and she wants him to be the same
with he. That, it seems, though, is not the way you get a man. And Lizzie is "fed
up with me", she tells "I’d like to get away from me for a
change". HC asks her if she’d really like to be "Lilly Anne
Beasley", this had been suggested earlier and Lizzie had been
dismayed, however Lilly Anne never has any trouble getting beaus, so maybe
Lizzie should try to be Raunchy. Louise Gold handled this
number adeptly; after all, she has a real gift for vocal parody, and for
performing ridiculous songs. But then Louise Gold could sing a song she
did not even like, in a show for which she was not getting paid and she would
still sell the song. When she sang "I'll buy some Dime store diamonds
and pierce them through my ears", we are reminded that the last time Louise
Gold took centre stage at The Fortune Theatre was back in 1987 in
the original London production of Nunsense, when she sang "I’d
have wigs like Dolly Parton I might even pierce my ears" in I
Could’ve Gone To Nashville.
Fyle turns up at the picnic grounds, unexpectedly, and is left alone
with Lizzie, who treats him in a friendly manner, akin to Louise’s own. Fyle
has come to have it out. He wants everyone to know what they already know. He
is not a Widower, his wife left him. Lizzie tells him straight that that is not
enough. The people of this town have offered him friendship, and therefore he
is under obligation to accept this. She spoke of this with such sincerity that
one felt that the actress really believes this herself, and being her mother’s
daughter, I don’t doubt that she does.
Lizzie asks Fyle about
his wife. It seems she left him for another man, a pale school teacher with
near-sighted eyes and weak hands. (It is evident that Fyle does not exactly
like people with weak hands; therefore, in this production Lizzie, with her
strong hands, is clearly perfect for him). Fyle’s wife did ask him to say
“don’t go”, but he was too proud to beg her to stay. Lizzie tells Fyle that
this is all wrong, and they sing A Man And A Woman, about how an
man and a woman can be so close together, and how that is something that should
last. Again Louise dominated this song; and sang it with such sincerity that
you feel she really believes this too.
Anxious to get Fyle
Lizzie, uncharacteristically, remembers her resolve to be raunchy, and gets
rather soppy with Fyle, who promptly exits. Pop and the Boys return, and Lizzie
remarks sadly "I made a fool of myself". Pop tires to comfort
her. However Noah tells Pop to stop lying to Lizize, "Its time she faced
up to the truth" he tells Lizzie "I’m the only one who loves
you enough to tell you the truth. Your plain, and you’re going to be an old
maid." At his words Lizzie losses all hope of ever getting beau let
alone a husband, she has known it all along "why does it feel so much
worse when you put a name to it?" Heartbroken, Lizzie is left alone on
the stage to end the act with Old Maid. The song was sensational!
Sitting there in the auditorium listening to that glorious voice was fantastic!
I have not heard anything quite that loud in a Lost Musical in a
long while. At long last, once again, we experienced the true spirit of the Lost
Musicals. And no, I do not mean songs about Old Maids! The Lost Musicals
are unmiked, and acoustically The Fortune is a good theatre. It is
wonderful to hear the unmiked, still travelling when it reaches the back of the
auditorium, voice of the Lost Musicals answer to Ethel Merman. At
that moment our star is back and everybody knows it. Some members of the
audience were even on their feet. Louise Gold is truly amazing, and
excelled herself. It was so good. It would have been impossible to follow that
number, so no wonder it ended the act! And we went into the intermission on a
real high, remarking in Louise’s astounding performance. One Gentleman
summed it up perfectly "She’s terrific, ain’t she."
Act 2 opened with The
Company foreshadowing the rest of the show with Everything Beautiful
Happens At Night. Lizzie comes out to Starbuck’s wagon. Ostensibly to
bring him a blanket to sleep on, but really to see him. Starbuck is very sweet
to Lizzie. Though he does not like her name. He offers to rename her Melissande.
She doesn’t like the name, but he tells her "That's because you don’t
know anything about it". He proceeds to tell her the story of the
golden fleece. To which down to earth Lizzie says "Starbuck, you silly
Jackass" (sounding uncannily like The Secret life of Toys’s
Raisin saying "Dietz, you silly clown”) and dismisses with "You’ve
taken several stories I’ve read in a dozen different places and woven them all
into one big lie." Starbuck protests he is only dreaming. Lizzie says
that she has dreams too, but hers are about Simple Little Things.
Louise Gold sang this song with her utmost sincerity, it was not only as
if she meant it, she Did mean it. One wonders what she was thinking of;
whatever it was, when she sang that all she wants is "Someone to love
me as we grow old." one felt as though that is what she truly wants.
Meanwhile, at the
Picnic Grounds, Noah and HC are waiting around when Jim and Snookey, a fun
portrayal from Suzy Bloom, enter. Jim is in high spirits and smoking a
cigar, which he has bought himself for being a big boy. Jim has finally
realised he is only dumb because Noah is brainy, and actually he (Jim) would
not be so dumb if he simply behaved like a man. So he does. HC and Noah are
afraid Snookey has trapped him into marriage. But on questioning Jim he
explains in A Little Red Hat, how it's not like that. It is he
who has decided to propose to Snookey.
Noah wonders where
Lizzie is. HC reveals, "She is on Starbuck’s Wagon". Noah is
aghast she is with a conman. HC explains, "She’s got to have
someone." and won’t let either Noah go and get Lizzie, or Jim go and
tell her about him and Snookey. He says "She lost her hope back here,
maybe she'll find it out there." He explains how she’s got to have
something "Even if its only a little while with a man talking soft to
her", no matter who he is.
Starbuck is indeed
talking soft to Lizzie. He persuades her that she should believe she is
beautiful, and then she will be. He persuades her to let down her hair. Since
the actress playing the part in this concert staging has cut her hair short, we
had to use our imagination. I think we rather missed the Muppet-like masses of
chestnut tresses. Starbuck makes Lizzie repeat the words "I’m
beautiful". Suddenly finding hat she is, he kisses her, and embraces
her fondly, in a manner that was almost comical. The stunned Lizzie wonders Is
It Really Me? Louise Gold is such a sweet singer, she can sing a
beautiful song full of amazement as if it is just that. Starbuck tells Lizzie
he will have to be on his way soon. But asks if she'd like him to stick around
a few days longer. Lizzie says she does, after all who knows what may happen in
a few days.
Meanwhile, Fyle has
turned up to arrest the conman Tornado Johnson (Star Buck). HC tries to pretend
that man has left, and also that Lizzie has gone home, as she was tired another
family took her back. Noah queries "why did you tell Fyle Starbuck had
gone away, why didn't you say he’s with my daughter". HC replies "Precisely
because he with my daughter". They must rescue Lizzie before Fyle
finds Starbuck. Luckily at this point Lizzie herself enters announcing happily
"I’ve lost all my hairpins. But I've found me a beau. Not an always
Beau, just a for now beau."
Fyle enters and wonders
why they've all been lying to him. Lizzie calls "Run Starbuck Run",
but he is singing and so does not hear her. (Since Lizzie is played by one of
the loudest ladies in the business that was a little unbelievable.). Fyle goes
to arrest Starbuck. However first Lizzie then HC and Jim and finally Noah beg
him to let Starbuk go free. As he turns to go Starbuck asks Lizzie to come with
him. She is surprised ‘What did you say?" Fyle then asks Lizzie "Stay
with Me", she is equally surprised. The three of them battle this out
with Wonderful Music. Eventually Starbuck’s dreaming drives
Lizzie into Fyle’s arms, all she wants are Simple Little things.
Besides Starbuck will keep calling her Melissade. He name is Lizzie, and it
suits her just fine.
Starbuck gives them
back their hundred dollars and exits, at which point everyone notices it starts
to Rain. "Rain" roars Lizzie, Starbuck returns to collect his
money "For the first time in his life he has made rain" they
pay him and everyone reprises the Rain Song. Their joy at
receiving the longed for rain was our joy at getting back our longed for
thunderstorm of a singing star, the divine Louise Gold.
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