In Daisy Pulls It Off are, from left, Maggie Cardew, Eve Cardew and Helen Reading. Picture by Peter Boam.
STAGE REVIEWFOR a ripping yarn of schoolgirl antics, see Daisy Pulls It Off, which is on at the Apollo Theatre until tomorrow (Saturday).
Set at Grangewood School for Young Ladies in the 1920s, the action centres around the challenges facing Daisy Meredith, a new girl who is the school’s first scholarship pupil.
Eve Cardew makes an extremely appealing young heroine as Daisy because she has a good singing voice and she was absolutely word perfect on opening night — no mean feat as she is in the thick of the action for the whole show.
Helen Reading is perfectly detestable as snobby Sybil Burlington, while Susan Simpson is first class as Daisy’s madcap friend, Trixie Martin.
Rebecca Brough is the epitome of a popular head girl as Clare Beaumont, while Maggie Cardew gives a masterly performance as Sybil’s ally, Monica Smithers, and Julie-Ann Williams is likeable as Clare’s wise friend, Alice Fitzpatrick.
Other school pupils of note include Amelia Havard as fiercely defensive Belinda Mathieson, Christine Blow as Dora Johnston, Imogen Stone as Winnie Irving and Crystal Prince as Flick Merryweather.
Helen Clinton-Pacey makes a stern headteacher as Miss Gibson, Caroline Willing returns to the Apollo in style as Miss Granville, while Yvonne Brown plays Mademoiselle.
Graham Brown is great as the Russian, Mr Scoblowski, Steve Reading is the mysterious Mr Thompson and John English completes the cast as the school pianist.
I was particularly impressed with the way the hockey and cliff rescue scenes were carried out. This highly entertaining play is directed by Di Evans.
Reporter: katey@iwcpmail.co.uk