by Richard Pacheco
Ocean State
Theatre’s first ever summer show it “Always…Patsy Cline” a vibrant, energetic
song filled, fun filled entertainment fest that celebrates the friendship
between country star Patsy Cline and a down home Houston gal, Louise Seger. It
was based on a true story of the six year friendship between the two women.
Louise Seger called
KIKK Houston radio throughout the day from home and her job to request Patsy
Cline records. In early May (1961). she was speaking to deejay Hal Harris and
she learned that Patsy would be playing the Esquire Ballroom. She spread the
news and gathered together a group of friends, all dressed in western clothes,
for the appearance at the gigantic barn- like club. They arrived very early. As
it seems the band did not start playing until 8
pm and they were there around 6 or so. Louise looked up from here
beer and who did she see—Patsy Cline. Seger was not sure it was her since the
only time she had seen Cline was on the Arthur Godfrey show four years
earlier. Something clicked and she
approached Cline.
Seger told
Cline how much she admired her music and so the friendship began. She invited
Cline of join her friends and her at their table and she did. Seger insisted at
the end of the night that Cline come home to her house rather than going back
to the hotel and she did. Seger called the dj in the middle of the night and
told him she was bringing Patsy Cline on the show for an interview in the
morning. The dj thought she was drunk or crazy or both. The next morning both
Seger and Cline showed up at the radio station for the interview much to the
dj’s surprise. The two women started writing letters and calling each other
over the next six years and so the budding friendship grew. They shared the
tales of their lives and romances, their ups and downs. This show came from
that.
It is vivid
and vibrant, full of sass and life, and ably captures the character of the two
women, perhaps Seger more than Cline and their friendship. The two women in the
cast bring it vibrantly to life. If at times it seems a nig light and not
really going into any depth, you do not care and it does not matter, it is all
sheer fun and totally enjoyable.
This version was directed and
staged by Aimee Turner who does an excellent job keeping it all rolling merrily
along with great touches of humor and wonderful singing. Aimee Turner handles
the direction with confidence and assurance. She keeps everything moving with
flair and zest.
Music director John C. Brown keeps
everything full of energy and deftly moving along with the Bodacious Bobcats
Band, some fine musicians and the music director and he gets the best out of
Erin McCraken as Patsy Cline and the occasionally singing by Lulu Loyd as
Louise Seger, who only rarely sings.
Erin
McCracken is the singing legend Patsy Cline. She is an excellent singer and
delivers the goods musically with skill and passion. She handles the better
known Cline songs with assurance and dexterity and the lesser know ones with
equal adroitness and style. She shines
in songs like “Crazy” where she displays a longing that is haunting and
reverberates. With “I Fall to Pieces” she is just is riveting
and haunting.
Lulu Loyd
is sheer delight as the feisty obsessed fan Louise Seger. She is cocky and
funny, full of energy and conviction as she pursues her music idol with single
minded determination and conviction. She is spirited and bouncy in the role,
never lagging, never faltering in her sparkling presence and honesty in her portrayal.
It is a delight to watch, never faltering, never dull.
.
The show was originally created and
directed by Ted Swindley and if it has a falw it is you never get to know much
beyond the surface about the characters, it seems to pull back when it moves in
to emotional heights or depths.
Even if you are not a big Patsy
Cline fan, this is a delightful show to see, full of great music and pure fun,
from beginning to end.
At Ocean
State Theatre " (4 - 22 June)
@ 1245
Jefferson Boulevard, WARWICK
RI
1(401)921-6800
No comments:
Post a Comment