Laura Campbell enjoys a musical from the creators of Friends…
love ‘em or hate ‘em | abba style routines | all round good effort

Love ‘em or hate ‘em
The world is divided into two sorts of people: those who love musicals, and those who hate them. Personals, as luck would have it, caters for both. It has all the Broadway cheesiness we expect from a musical; the big numbers, the dance routines, the virtuoso solos. However, it has one fundamental difference: it doesn’t take itself at all seriously. Written by the creators of Friends, Personals is funny, sometimes touching, and often downright bizarre. It’s definitely refreshing to see such a tongue-in-cheek musical on the Durham stage. The cast of the Bailey Theatre Company performed with all the enthusiasm of kiddies on a bouncy castle, evidently enjoying what is essentially a fun show.

Abba style routines
The plot revolves around a montage of short sketches and songs, which explore the romantic predicaments of various characters. The minimalist set managed to give the show a cabaret-feel; it consisted only of a white curtain, with different coloured back-lights for each scene and props brought on by the actors. It was a versatile backdrop, which was at times cluttered with props and people to create a crowded atmosphere, and at times empty, conveying isolation and loneliness. Johns’ Leech Hall was a cosy little venue, with generous acoustics that made it possible to perform the whole show without radio-mics. Although amplification was unnecessary for most of the show, projection occasionally failed and the odd punch-line was swallowed, which was a shame.

A real forte of this production was its musical numbers, which were belted out by some fantastic voices. The choreography was varied and interesting: Abba style routines in the chorus numbers, and stylised movements in the slower and solo songs. It prevented the onset of boredom that can often creep up on an audience sitting through a series of musical routines, so that the numbers were as enjoyable to watch as they were to hear. The whole show had a good dynamic variation, flitting between solos, duets and chorus numbers, caricatures and naturalistic acting, tragic and comic scenes. The performers showed themselves to be perceptive and versatile; each actor played several parts, adapting well to the differing tones and characterisations. However, the rapid sequence of short scenes lacked momentum at some points, which made a couple of scene openings quite lethargic. Nevertheless, the pace was always regained shortly after, so the show didn’t lose any of its intended punchiness.

All round good effort
It’s difficult to pick out particular names to mention, since everyone, large and small roles alike, put on a great performance. Apart from the fab singing and spot-on harmonies, the expressions, gestures and comic timing really brought the wittiness of the script to life. I can even forgive the occasional slip in American accents, which were predominantly very good. Notable for their obvious experience and professionalism were Ayesha Allen, whose amazing voice could be picked out even in the chorus numbers, and Russell Woodhead, whose confident acting and presence really did justice to the “Mr Bleeney” monologues. There was fantastic on-stage chemistry between Alex Eccles’ obnoxious tape recorder and the geeky Louis, played by James Tyrrell, while Jo Broadley’s dance with a giant Mr Potato Head was comically surreal.

All in all, I’d give a hearty round if applause to all the actors, the band and the directors for putting together a brilliant show. My personal measure of a good musical performance is whether or not I can still remember the tunes the next day, and I can honestly say that they’re still going around in my head at the moment. It was a pleasure to see something so entertaining at the end of term, and it certainly sent me off for Christmas humming a happy tune. And tittering to myself quietly.