Review: Rugby Operatic and Musicals Society proves again there is no shortage of talent around

There are certain performances that earn a special place in the heart, for reasons that are not necessarily widely known.

As it celebrates its 60th anniversary production, it feels about time to let the good people of Roams know that its 1999 production of HMS Pinafore holds one of those special places.

To my other half’s horror, not only did I take our two young children to see Gilbert & Sullivan (you may sense a difference of opinion here) – but they thoroughly enjoyed it and we quickly went to see another production at Derngate. That, alas, did not have the same sparkle as the ROS show (the logical reference to musicals was not then part of the group’s name) but I’d already won the argument…

So beyond the applause rightly echoing around St Andrew’s during and after each performance of this wonderfully maverick production of Godspell, the team should treasure the thought that its impact could also be wider and longer-lasting.

Godspell has always had that sense of the maverick about it and - bearing in mind the recent kerfuffle about a silent disco in Canterbury Cathedral – that trait can trigger a backlash from those who think its presentation and script don’t stick to, er, the scripture.

But with this production, Roams celebrated the counter argument that Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar and the Christian records that made it into the mainstream charts, marked a huge shift in the 1970s in how to engage an audience.

For as it draws out its message from Matthew’s gospel, Godspell remains a compelling work with great songs – including the big hit Day by Day – and some terrific scriptwriting.

The version seen here is based on a 2011 update but with a freshness beyond that clearly drawn from the delight of the cast in being on stage and under the remarkable direction of Hayley Smith.

The group’s chairperson, Stuart Esworthy, describes her work as inspirational and zany – both of which are true.

But it was more than that.

This was the revelation of a great new directing talent and the joy so obvious in the cast and the excitement of the whole team, including the musicians under the guiding hand of David King, was also a sign that Hayley created a very special environment for the talent around her to thrive.

So remember her name – but also know that while Roams marks this 60th anniversary with a nomadic status and a post-covid future yet to be fully shaped, there is no shortage of talent around that lives up to its proud heritage.

Across a main cast of ten and an ensemble of seven there were moments of both high-quality singing and some delightful characterisation in the acting, from familiar names around town and some newcomers.

The aforementioned chair was a fine John the Baptist/Judas; Abbie Robson produced one of the stand-out moments with her take on By My Side; Kate Sawyer drew on 23 years in Henry Street for a powerful Roams debut and Sarah Tolchard found the right expression for every twist and turn of the script.

They were not alone as Roy Healey in the central role of Jesus – in a Superman shirt, we should note – inspired the audience and his other disciples to keep things flying along.

With no set needed beyond the magnificence of a well-lit St Andrew’s, it’s a production that could so easily go out on tour to other churches.

That’s probably not part of the plan – they’re due at Arnold House on April 26 for an evening of big band hits – but if they ever did decide to go for it, the impact would be just as great somewhere else, as it was here in the heart of Rugby.

By Richard Howarth