Me and My Girl, Revised by Stephen Fry, REVIEW, 6 July 1994=

 Music by Noel Gay, Book & Lyrics by L.A. Rose & D. Furber revised by Stephen Fry

 Produced by Adelaide Festival Theatre Trust & John Nicholls Productions.

At Princess Theatre, Melbourne, from early July 1994 (no end date)

Reviewer: Kate Herbert around 5 July 1994.  

This review published in The Melbourne Times after 6 July 1994

 

Some confusion over our seats for Me and My Girl meant I was sitting on an eight-year-old, but this vulgar, old-fashioned vaudeville-style musical was worth the discomfort. It is uplifting, with fine chorus work, dreadful jokes and fabulous costumes.

 

Derek Metzger plays Bill Snibson, a dodgy cockney who is the new Earl of Harewood. Where has this exceptionally talented and stylish Kiwi been hiding? He is a fine tenor, an effortless dancer and is charming, warm, magnetic and relaxed. Metzger has that illusive "It" "Star" tattooed on his forehead.

 

Rachael Beck, as Sally, is engaging with a very pretty voice and other strong performances come from Sheila Bradley and Peter Whitford as the stuffy old Duchess and her ageing acolyte.

 

The story is simple; poor boy gets rich, loses poor girl, gets poor girl back again as rich girl. (intentional echoes of My Fair Lady) The script is light and funny: a pun-fest. "Aperitif?" asks the butler. "No thanks," says Bill, tapping his teeth. "I've got me own." Many contemporary quips are probably courtesy of Stephen Fry (of “Fry and Laurie") who has modernised what remained of the original 30's stage script.

 

Nigel West's direction of the comedy has some smart clowning and good slapstick interspersed with an overdose of tacky sexual innuendo. The tiger-skin rug coming to life in the hands of Metzger, was a treat.

 

If the words "sexual politics" make you foam at the mouth, skip this. This is the most jaw-droppingly sexist script ever. There were some nasty verbal references to women, but an early seduction scene between the lusty Lady Jacqueline and Bill, borders on offensive, making Benny Hill look like political satire.

 

The elaborate sets by Martin Johns changed so seamlessly that I missed them, and the transparent ancestors' portrait gallery was a feast. Kathy Norcross has done some lively choreography, but Lambeth Walk takes the cake. Along with Leaning on a Lamp post, it is one of the few memorable songs and is the

 

But if you are expecting, as was I, that "The bells are ringing/ For me and my girl" was the title song, you are wrong. Another show evidently. 

By Kate Herber