Tag Archives: Eleanor Fransch

SCOUTS!

★★★½

UK Tour

SCOUTS!

Hope Mill Theatre

★★★½

“will warm your heart and bring a genuine smile of delight”

Enter the high-stakes, competitive, life-affirming world of scouting, where we join the competitors preparing for the final of ‘The Scout Games’. The winning of the only ‘gold badge’ (hand stitched by Baden-Powell) is the goal of both the scouts on stage and the audience members (scouts and leaders themselves at this performance) who are game enough to join in a range of hilarious tasks. However, there is a saboteur at large, a disillusioned and ‘poor loser’ Scout from a previous ‘games’, intent on causing mayhem and discrediting the very core reputation of the organisation. Through many trials and catchy numbers too, good triumphs over evil, the power of true friendship wins through and we all learn what is important in life and in the scouting movement: to help other people, make friends and learn new skills.

Gigglemug Theatre worked closely with the Scout Association and has tried here to capture the essence of scouting, from the gaining of social and life skills amongst children who might otherwise feel ‘outsiders’, to the chaotic world of camping, competing for badges (real and, here, imagined, such as the ‘hypnosis’ badge) and learning how to win and lose gracefully.

Sam Cochrane (director) made some memorable decisions (the gold dust sprinkled gold badge, for one). Katie Pritchard as Rosie brought great physicality and comedic timing to her role, with superb vocals from both Eleanor Fransch as Eliza and Emily Kitchingham as Charlotte. Burhan Kathawala charmed as the somewhat vulnerable but ultimately brave Joe. Kemi Clarke led the pace and energetically portrayed scout leader Dylan. Rob Gathercole (also musical director / keyboards) was in his element playing the over-the-top and improbably talented (being skilled in many areas including healing missing limbs) Linus Lionheart, the TV personality and former scout who was the role model for the competing scouts. The cast all played multiple instruments and were on stage almost the whole time. At times, the number of instruments and changes was a distraction to following the narrative and I would have preferred to listen to the vocalist perform without a guitar, for example. However, this does not take away from the recognition of the multiple skill sets required for this audience-engaging performance, with the pace only struggling a little in the second act.

The musical numbers feature an enjoyable range of genres, from 1950s style rock and roll, to rap and pop. Definitely not ‘found a peanut’ singalongs, the music is carefully crafted by David Fallon (music and lyrics) and Sam Cochrane (book, lyrics and direction) with solos, duets, and ensemble multi-part numbers being used to advance the plot and characters as well as to introduce many favourite themes loved by scouts, such as the ‘scout law’. Indeed, the lyrics were so full of information that I did spend some time trying to catch each word and wondering if I needed to remember the facts being dropped in. Perhaps the relative complexity of some of the music and plot was a mismatch for the younger members of the audience, but ‘The Trance Dance’, ‘Bad Badge’ and ‘Home’ were particular favourites.

The set (three drop down banners) was cleverly simple and effective for this touring production, which was needed when the stage is so full of musical instruments – I counted eleven plus a kazoo! Using three ‘tree stumps’ for the awards also gave an interesting stage height difference when needed.

Gigglemug Theatre’s touring production of their latest feelgood musical theatre show, is a fun exploration of the core positive messages of scouting, which will warm your heart and bring a genuine smile of delight, whilst enjoying the frolics of this energetic cast of actor-musicians.



SCOUTS!

Hope Mill Theatre the UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 14th June 2025

by Lucy Williams

Photography by Benkin Photography

 

 


 

 

Previously reviewed by Lucy:

SLAVE: A QUESTION OF FREEDOM | ★★★★ | THE LOWRY | October 2024
WAR HORSE | ★★★★★ | THE LOWRY | September 2024
EDWARD’S TALK: WHAT’S DRIVING YOU? | ★★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024
GODFATHER DEATH: A GRIMMS’ MUSICAL | ★★★★★ | EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE | August 2024

 

 

SCOUTS!

SCOUTS!

SCOUTS!

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

★★

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN at Upstairs at the Gatehouse

★★

“The show is essentially a series of vignettes lifted from the beloved comic strip. Some of them short, some long, but most of them missing the mark”

On the eve of Valentine’s Day in 2000, the final original ‘Peanuts’ comic strip appeared in newspapers across the world, one day after the death of its creator Charles M. Schulz. It featured Snoopy sitting on top of his doghouse with a typewriter, reflecting on Schulz’s last words in the form of a retirement letter. Floating just above Snoopy’s head were a few thought bubbles containing images; dying flashbacks of moments from the lives of Charlie Brown and his gang. It is signed off with the words “… how can I ever forget them”.

How can anyone ever forget them?

It was written in his will that no further ‘Peanuts’ cartoons could be published after his death. Schulz did, however, consider other media separate from the comic strip. Therefore, feature films and television series have proliferated and, inevitably, a musical or two have popped up. Most notably “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”, with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner. The origins of this musical go back to the early 1960s when Gesner wrote a handful of songs based on the characters. With no real plans, he sent a demo to Schulz who gave permission for him to properly record them, and they then morphed into the musical that opened on off-Broadway in 1967. Thirty years later, composer Andrew Lippa added extra music and lyrics (with additional dialogue by Michael Mayer), but the stage production still retained the feel of a ‘concept album’.

Amanda Noar’s current revival at Upstairs at the Gatehouse follows suit. The show is essentially a series of vignettes lifted from the beloved comic strip. Some of them short, some long, but most of them missing the mark. It can be challenging for an adult actor to play young children, but Noar has made the fatal mistake of allowing her cast to overact rather than simplify and heighten. Shrieking and running about replace the deadpan, throwaway introspection that is often required from the gorgeous words that have been offered to them on a plate. The cast are working hard at recreating six of the beloved characters: Charlie Brown and his sister Sally, Snoopy the dog, toy piano prodigy Schroeder, and siblings Linus and Lucy. The relationships are well established, particularly that of Schroeder and Lucy’s unrequited love for him. Troy Yip, as the serious Beethoven fan, captures the hunched introspection as he focuses on his miniature baby-grand and little else. Momentarily breaking away, Yip charms us with the jazzy number ‘Beethoven Day’ to celebrate the great composer’s birthday.

Oliver Sidney’s Snoopy is a bit of a lounge lizard, with velvet smooth singing voice to match. The ensemble cast all have accomplished vocals, if often instructed to deliver jarring off-key moments. This would work for a drama where the lack of vocal ability is in character; but it seems an odd choice for a musical. Millie Robbins taps into the eccentricities of Sally Brown but again the precocious intelligence is marred by mistaking innocence for puerility. Similarly so for Eleanor Fransch’s crabby Lucy. Overall, the characters lack the dimension of performance, relying on the childish mannerisms without the compassion shining through.

You don’t need to physically resemble the comic strip characters to convince in the role, but Jordan Broatch’s Charlie Brown could not be further removed. That shouldn’t matter, but we cannot quite suspend our disbelief if the complexity of these seemingly simple characters doesn’t translate from Schulz’s page onto the stage. Jacob Cornish, though, does have the physicality for the thumb-sucking Linus. The deceptive simplicity does come across in the score. On the surface it is pastiche, and a touch saccharine yet is lyrically clever and well observed. It weaves in and out of the narrative but at times the five-piece band, led by musical director Harry Style, appear as apologetic as the titular character of this musical.

Schulz’s genius lay in his ability to keep his well-known characters fresh enough to attract new followers and to keep his current audience wanting more, which he sustained for half a century. The ‘Peanuts Gang’ still continues to entertain and inspire today with his fanciful, observational, bittersweet humour. Unfortunately, the essence of his vision doesn’t quite make it all the way up Highgate Hill for this production which, although delivers with passion, does little to enhance or celebrate the legacy.

 


YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN at Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Reviewed on 15th December 2023

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Simon Jackson

 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

This Girl: The Cynthia Lennon Story | ★★ | July 2023
How To Build A Better Tulip | ★★ | November 2022
Forever Plaid | ★★★★ | June 2021

You’re a Good Man

You’re a Good Man

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