• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chandler's Ford Today

  • Home
  • About
    • About Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research
  • Blog
    • Blogging Tips
  • Event
    • Upcoming Events
  • Community
    • Groups
    • Churches
    • Schools
    • GP Surgeries
    • Leisure
    • Library
    • Charities
    • Eastleigh Basics Bank
    • Community Food Larder at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Site Policies
You are here: Home / Community / Thornden School summer production – the show does go on

Thornden School summer production – the show does go on

February 2, 2019 By chippy minton Leave a Comment

There were two differences to Thornden School’s summer production of Guys and Dolls. The first was that it wasn’t in the summer, it was last week (29 January to 1 February). The second was that it wasn’t in its usual location of Thornden Hall.

Guys and dolls logo

Guys and Dolls Advertisment

Only a few weeks before the intended July production, disaster struck. Major structural damage to Thornden Hall forced the performance to be postponed – originally to the autumn, and then to January, by which time it was hoped the Hall would be back in use.

A few weeks before the rescheduled date it became clear that repairs to Thornden Hall were going to take a lot longer than hoped. Plan B (or was it C, D, or E) was needed.

“Could we perform in the sports hall?” someone might have suggested.  “What, and have the audience sit on benches and hang the scenery from the wall bars?” might have been the response.  “Hang on,” may have interjected a more innovative soul, “there might be something in that idea”.

And so Studio 4 was born. A lot of planning, a mountain of paperwork, and a long weekend of long days ensued. The sports hall was spectacularly transformed into a replica of Thornden Hall, complete with a stage big enough for the original set, and an identical seating plan. Not so obviously visible but equally important, rigging points were installed in the roof, cable was laid, sound and lighting systems installed, and extra electricity supplied to power it all.

This time-lapse sequence from Thornden Hall’s facebook page shows the work undertaken:

All was finally set for the performances when more problems loomed.  Heavy snow was forecast. Surely not.  Not after all the trouble they had already gone through . Well, the weather gods must have decided that Thornden had had its share of bad luck, and the snow that brought most of the rest of the county to a standstill all-but missed Chandlers Ford. The show would go on.

And what a show it was. Guys and Dolls is one of my favourite musicals, and Thornden School’s production did not disappoint. It fully endorsed Thornden’s reputation for staging high quality theatrical performances.

The four leads – Nathan Detroit, Miss Adelaide, Sky Masterton and Sarah Brown – brought out the best in their roles, with superb singing and acting.

1955 guys and dolls film
Marlon Brando, Jean Simmonds, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine step out in the 1955 film version of Guys and Dolls

Behind them, a troupe of secondary roles and energetic ensembles ensured that the show never floundered. “Remember,” I was once told when performing in a musical, “the songs tell the story. If the audience can’t hear the lyrics, they won’t understand what’s happening”. No such danger here. Every musical number was crystal clear, the acting backed up the words, and the humour of the dialogue was not lost on the cast or the audience.

If I have to single out two musical numbers for particular praise, I will choose “Adelaide’s Lament” and the crapshooters before and during “Luck be a Lady”.  In the former, a medically-dressed ensemble offered Adelaide sympathy and empathy in equal measure.  In the latter the boys demonstrated incredible agility and energy in a fast-paced sequence.

The cast were supported by a mainly in-house orchestra – referred to as “Jonesy and the Whippets”, for some reason – and a backstage crew who ensured that lights and sound were turned on when needed, and scenery and props were in the right place at the right time.

All in all, a tremendous effort by Thornden School.  Indeed, with all the problems that had to be overcome, an even more tremendous than most tremendous efforts by Thornden School. Well done to all.

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email

Related posts:

Thornden Hall Presents The Wind In The Willows Thornden School Adrian Mole featureTheatre Review: Thornden School: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾ Best of Chandler’s Ford Today: Top 12 Theatre Reviews Thornden sound of music reviewThornden Hall: Alive with the Sound of Music Review: Thornden School – Singing in the Rain
Tags: musical, theatre, Thornden Hall, Thornden School

About chippy minton

I've lived in Chandler's Ford and Eastleigh for most of my working life, having been brought up in the south Midlands, and schooled in the Home Counties.

I work in IT, and my hobbies include bell ringing, walking, cycling and running.

I enjoy live theatre and music, and try to watch many of the shows that are performed in the Eastleigh area.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Chandler's Ford Today blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

Top Posts & Pages

Why Write Fiction

Categories

Tags

am writing arts and crafts books Chandler's Ford Chandler's Ford Today Chandler’s Ford community charity Christianity Christmas church community creative writing culture Eastleigh Eastleigh Borough Council education entertainment event family fundraising gardening gardening tips good neighbours Hiltingbury Hiltingbury Road history hobby how-to Joan Adamson Joan Adelaide Goater local businesses local interest memory Methodist Church music nature news reading review social storytelling theatre travel Winchester Road writing

Recent Comments

  • C. Klingler on Gladly, the Cross-eyed Bear and Other Mondegreens
  • Robbie Sprague on VE Day – Thursday 8th May 1945
  • Mike Sedgwick on VE Day – Thursday 8th May 1945
  • Chippy on VE Day – Thursday 8th May 1945
  • Allison Symes on Review – The Chameleons – Sudden Death at Thornbury Manor
  • Janet Williams on Review – The Chameleons – Sudden Death at Thornbury Manor

Regular Writers and Contributors

Janet Williams Allison Symes Mike Sedgwick Rick Goater Doug Clews chippy minton Martin Napier Roger White Andy Vining Gopi Chandroth Nicola Slade Wellie Roger Clark Ray Fishman Hazel Bateman SO53 News

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

Reviews of local performances and places

Reviews of local performances and places

Copyright © 2025 Chandler's Ford Today. WordPress. Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.