Colourful attire for the cast of I’ll Be Seeing You, at Ventnor Winter Gardens. Picture by Robin Crossley.
STAGE REVIEWWARTIME Ventnor was recreated for the poignant musical I’ll Be Seeing You, performed by Ventnor Theatre Group.
The show, at the Winter Gardens, was written by director Val Hayward and centred around a family mystery, which was unravelled by two young characters with the help of a little time-travelling between 1956 and 1943.
Lizzie Back was excellent in the role of 13-year-old Marianne Tempest, who discovers her mum isn’t her real mum.
She kept a good balance between angry and confused and interacted well with her older cousin, Edmund Winter, played by Edward Griffith.
Traci Reader was excellent in the role of Lily Tempest, Marianne’s mum, and I thought Verity Godwin had a beautiful singing voice as Matilda Tempest, Marianne’s sister.
Harry Boyd was great as Canadian airman Harry Fludd, with Oliver Gully as the flamboyant Charlie Worsley and David Bartram-Shaw as old Etonian Walter Willoughby. Faye Lushey was likeable as Marjorie, Geoff Callaghan played Josiah well, Richard Buckley was suitably irritating as Wally and I loved Peter Farrin as madcap Barnacle.
Peter and Rita Boffin played grandparents Freddie and Evangeline Winter, Nicola Callaghan starred as Mary and tiny Ellen Careless was the baby Marianne.
The show also included some wonderful musical numbers and dance routines from a cast of all ages, with skilful choreography by Gabriella Griffith.
Val Hayward was assisted in directing by Rosie Hayward and Traci Reader and the musical director was Tony Careless.
Reporter: katey@iwcpmail.co.uk