It was good to see the theatre was sold out for the touring production of Malory Towers. Emma Rice has successfully adapted the Enid Blyton books for her Wise Children company. This is a sparkling, funny and moving production, full of Rice's theatrical magic.
The songs are terrific and superbly performed. I was sold on the opening number "Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)", to give it's full title, a song from 1936. A famous Benny Goodman recording ( taking me back to my love of big bands in my late teens and early twenties) but composed by Louis Prima. The programme omitted this fact. And then there was "Mr Sandman", a classic song from when I was nine.
The energetic cast were great, none better than the diminutive but warmly bossy Francesca Mills as Sally Hope. The simple set was outstanding and also good fun. Lez Brotherston goes from strength to strength. But the star of the show is Emma Rice's direction. And those songs!
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