Press Reviews
Philip Radcliffe, Manchester Theatre Awards
“A lot of fun and exceptionally well sung by the young cast”
“Clonter specialises in being small scale and giving young singers priceless exposure”
“familiar Strauss tunes and well-known songs to enjoy…”

Robert Beale – Comment on Philip Radcliffe, Manchester Theatre Awards
“I found the production refreshing…as it’s hard to think how this operetta could ever be moved away from 1870s Vienna – but the shift to summer of 1914 worked for me, retaining the atmosphere of facade and pretence but bringing it a little closer to the modern world…”

Robert Beale Manchester Evening News July 2013
“An imaginative, ingenious approach…the Viennese Secession Period”
“the Eisensteins as pretentious nouveaux-riches, the effete Russian Prince Orlovsky…part of a crumbling age of class distinctions and poseurs”.
“Performers caught the right level of zaniness to get laughs without absurdity, and musical values are high with Clive Timms conducting”

 

 

Cast
Eisenstein – Lawrence Thackeray
Alfred/Blind – Gerard Schneider
Frank – Mikhail Pavlov
Rosalinde – Samantha Crawford
Ida – Alison Langer
Prince Orlovsky – Catherine Backhouse
Frosch – Nick Dwyer
Adele – Alison Rose
Falke – Piran Legg

Director – Victoria Newlyn
Musical Director – Clive Timms
Designer – Elroy Ashmore-Short
Lighting Designer – Alexandra Stafford

Clonter Sinfonia
Violin 1 – Theo Spiers
Violin 2 – Alexandra Dunn
Viola – Josephine Goynes
Cello – Doug Badger
Double Bass – Gemma Ashcroft
Flute – Jennifer George
Oboe – Bethan Roberts
Clarinet – Sarah Masters
Bassoon – Linton Stephens
Horn – Mathew Crossley
Timpani/Percussion – Andrea Vogler
Keyboard – Robin Humphreys