Honk!

Review

Honk! delivers with clever script and acting

There once was an ugly duckling… Well we all know the story, so what can HumDrum AmDram add to it with a musical version? Try humour, pathos and well-choreographed routines.

The tale of the ugly duckling of course stands or falls on its Ugly. Can you see the ugly in yourself? Or can you see the other ducklings’ point?

Luckily Tim Sturton-Davies brings an innocence and naivety to the role that endears sympathy. He’s a plucky loser. We Brits like that.

Unfortunately Ugly is the sort of child that only a mother could love, and this is where Sheila Elsdon excels. We understand her love, her fears, her regrets.

The mood flows from the cringeworthy jokes to Ugly’s plaintive universal desire to be accepted. The songs similarly bounce along to raise the spirits.

Comedic impact (and the traditional baddie) is provided by Darren Gilmore’s lascivious Cat, who sees the one thing in Ugly that no-one else can see – lunch!

With no ‘traditional’ costume the first impression is confusion – what sort of animal or bird are they playing? However, the clever mannerisms and script soon make it blindingly obvious.

As a show for all the family the only thing sadly lacking were children in the audience.

George Stevens – Portsmouth News – Thursday 19 July 2001