CityLife

Parade

Parade
The Lowry
August 27, 2010

While the 50th anniversary production of Corrie! played to full houses in the Lyric Theatre at The Lowry, the smaller Quays Theatre was similarly packed for an excellent production of the Tony Award-winning musical Parade.

Any initial misgivings I had about seeing this musical, written by Alfred Uhry with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, performed by a group of young people ranging from 13 to 23 were completely quashed after the triumphant opening number.

The aim of the first rate Company Music Theatre, now based in the North-West, is to garner musical talent from across the country, and so it was heartening to see that almost a third of the cast were based in our area.

This committed and enthusiastic group has already gleaned a considerable reputation winning a Manchester Evening News Drama Award with its first production here of The Rose and the Ring in 2008.

Parade is based on the real-life tragedy of a man wrongly accused of the murder of a young girl. It’s dark and meaty stuff but thankfully experienced director Ben Occhipinti avoids all the cliches surrounding youngsters playing older people and skilfully controls over thirty actors on stage.

Set in Atlanta and Marietta in Georgia, USA between 1913 and 15 it tells the gripping story of Jewish Leo Frank, sensitively realised by Stewart Clark. A workaholic factory manager, he’s accused and found guilty of the murder of one of his workers, 13 year old Mary Phagin.

Leo’s wife Lucille, beautifully sung by Melissa Taylor, stoically rises to his defence.  There’s also an outstanding performance from Jamie Taylor as the news-hungry reporter Britt Craig and the Young Soldier. All three principals are Manchester based.

The challenging score is more Sondheim than Hammerstein and the choral work is outstanding with support from a 14 strong band. If you missed this production you missed a treat and do watch out for their next visit.