Return
to the Forbidden Planet
Oxford
Playhouse, 12-15.11.03
A sci-fi b movie from the 1950s, the works
of William Shakespeare, and some of the most cheesy rock and roll songs
ever written sounds a bizarre combination: but together adds up to a
lot of fun.
The action is set entirely on the bridge of a spaceship, which finds
itself sucked towards a distant planet. All very Star Ship Enterprise,
with a captain, navigator, and female crew. The only connection with
the outside world being a screen with some black and white footage of
events on the planet and a wonderfully created narrator figure (James
Methuen).
The plot and the characters of both the musical and original film are
based loosely on Shakespeares Tempest, but it is the music that
makes the show fly. Songs like Good Vibrations, Why
must I be a teenager in love? and Great Balls of Fire
to name a few.
So how does it work? Start with an affectionate parody of a sci-fi b
movie of the 1950s with all the pseudo jargon you would expect, including
expressions such as polarity reversal. Entertaining in itself
- but throw in some of Shakespeares best known lines (not just
from The Tempest), then every so often launch into a fifties/early sixties
pop song. Words and lyrics are gently subverted with silly rhymes for
plot development and laughs.
A show like this can be deceptive; the overall atmosphere of parody
can hide the musical demands of twenty-eight songs and routines. So
although well suited to the enthusiasm of an amateur cast, the musical
numbers and choreography can be demanding.
Gabriel Vick (Tempest) and Amy Hayes (Gloria) particularly impress with
their singing. Becky Lowton effectively plays Prosperos daughter
Miranda as both alternatively innocent and vamp. Chris Vessey as Cookie,
and Mark Schaan as Ariel (a robot in this show) provide strong support.
Chris Heaney dressed in long black leather coat and shades is suitably
villainous.
Even with strong lead players the chorus makes or breaks a show like
this. They looked the glamorous part, and for many of the songs took
centre stage. Most important of all the cast looked like they really
were having a good time.
The audience certainly were. This is a show like The Rocky Horror
Show, where audience participation is a key element. These student
productions tend to draw a partisan crowd who are quick to participate
and party, making a show like this really work.
Go; see how you can personally reverse polarity!
James Davies, 12.11.03