THEATRE REVIEW: The Scarlet Pimpernel, Birkenhead Operatic Society Trust, Liverpool Empire

May 15 2008 by Peter Grant, Liverpool Daily Post

BIRKENHEAD Operatic Society Trust (BOST) really are a cut above the rest – and I don't just mean that because they have a guillotine on stage.

They have pulled out all the financial stops to stage The Scarlet Pimpernel, a Broadway musical based on the book by Baroness Orczy.

The French Revolution, courtesy of the songs of Knighton and Wildhorn, is given a fully rounded interpretation that combines love, lust, deceit and comedy.

This is Capital of Culture year and so this company – born in 1926 – decided to be ambitious.

After last year’s faultless Oliver! they decided to tackle a show that ran for 700 performances on Broadway.

And it’s something of a gamble as the songs are not the familiar ones that audiences might be used to.

Paris in 1794Šwas a dark and sinister place and heads were rolling. No credit crunch, but people were told to eat cake and like it.

This is a tale of intrigue, double identities and with some fine comic moments amid all Le mayhem.

Musical director Tricia Gaskell weaves in plenty of ballads as the scenery crew and the costume team do their usual superlative job in the visual department.

Mike Caroll as Sir Percy Blakeney (Ssh, he’s the Pimpernel) and Marguerite St Just (Julia Carroll ) have real chemistry.

In real life, she is his wife and leading lady.

Sacre bleu! No wonder when they kiss it’s so convincing.

Jason Weightman deserves a round of special applause for his nasty black-coated bad guy, Chauvelin.

There are some great comic scenes with fops galore and the song The Creation of Man.

A sword-fighting scene is also an added highlight.

It is a lavish production that's full of adventure and spirit, just like BOST.

This French connection is magnifique.