REVIEW

FLEA!

Bridport Electric Palace

FLEA! is the world’s first musical based around the humble ukulele. It is the culmination of more than three years of hard graft by Sally Vaughan, a ukulele tutor who came up with the idea of a community theatre production based on the instrument and its association with the flea.

Ukulele we are informed means ’ jumping flea’ in Hawaiian and refers to the way the fingers jump around the frets when playing the uke with any degree of mastery.

FLEA! charts the rise and fall of flea circus ringmistress Madam Celine played with suitable aplomb by professional actress Hester Goodman, who has also been a member of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain for 27 years.

Madam Celine is shadowed by the dark and mysterious figure of Vlad, a nefarious vampire-like character – white make up with an evil-looking black streak down one side - played superbly by 16-year-old Frankie Golding, who puts in a commanding performance.

He dominates the stage as an arch-villain and speaks with a deep Russian accent about his penchant for blood -- mirroring the flea. Vlad oversees Madam Celine’s demise with a cold detached pleasure. Frankie is such a confident performer that he is sure to have a bright future on the stage. He can also dangle from a hula hoop 10-feet up in the air.

Around 100 people were allocated stage roles and it often seems there are more performers than audience. FLEA! is a brash smorgasbord of hyperactive entertainment featuring a multitude of massed choral crescendos backed by a 30-strong ukulele orchestra. It also features aerialists, ball balancing, a flamenco dancer, stilt walker and even dog agility. There are also hecklers planted in the auditorium to help proceedings, so be careful not to sit next to one of them!

Writer and composer Andrew Dickson, a veteran of community theatre, is the main creative force behind the production but his songs suffer somewhat in their delivery as the lead characters have thick foreign accents making the lyrics virtually unintelligible. Only the daredevil unicyclist Grub, played wonderfully by talented 13-year-old Sam Harris and the magnificent Fret Fairy (Abadha Bruce) sing with any level of clarity.

For much of the show I was left overwhelmed and baffled by what was happening, both on stage and off. But there is no doubt that the monumental cast are having a whale of a time. Nevertheless it is a production that deserves to be congratulated for its worthy ambition and the costumes are fabulous. However, I could have done without being tickled by a cast member during the climax of the show.

GRAHAM JAMES