Review: Flying Ducks Youth Theatre, Half A Sixpence, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York (From York Press)

Review: Flying Ducks Youth Theatre, Half A Sixpence, Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York

10:04am Monday 29th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

Flying Ducks Youth Theatre’s production of Half A Sixpence proves that amateur theatre can be every bit as compelling and enjoyable as the professional variety.

Any lack of polish was amply made up for by standout performances of the four young lead actors, directed by Stephan Outhwaite.

Sam Whyte’s depiction of Cockney orphan Arthur Kipps, whose good-natured naivety is corrupted when he comes into money, is note perfect, his round face and open expression perfectly capturing the essential decency of his character.

Ann, his childhood sweetheart, played to perfection by Vicki Beaumont, truly comes into her own during Long Ago, a duet my husband agreed wouldn’t have been out of place on the West End. Kind-hearted, upper class Helen Walsingham, beautifully acted by Harriet Sissons, adds to the play’s dramatic tension by providing a genuine rival to Kipps’s affections.

Her nuanced, charming performance adds depth to her character and to the overall quality of the production.

The ambitious production wore its influences on its sleeve, from Tommy Steele’s soft shoe classics, through to a wonderful nod to My Fair Lady, where the Folkestone Cricket match between the toffs and the working boys was vividly brought to life in the style of the famous Ascot racing scene.

The unqualified success of Half A Sixpence leaves me intrigued as to what the Flying Duck Youth Theatre hold in store for the future, with its burgeoning roster of young talent. The group is one to watch.

Review by Catherine Marcus