REVIEW: Darlington Operatic Society Presents West Side Story
One word to describe last night’s production: Mesmerising!
I was very lucky to be invited along to the opening night of Darlington Operatic Society’s version of West Side Story at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium in Yarm. Set in 1950s New York, the musical is based on Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ where two members from rival gangs; The Sharks and The Jets fall in love with each other. However the course to true love never did run smooth (That’s my second Shakespeare ref I managed to get in! - Woo!) and the lovers find themselves torn between true love and loyalty to their respective gangs.
The production explored many themes which are still relevant today; including issues regarding race and class and of course, violence. And although the production mainly deals with conflict, it is jam packed full of singalong numbers such as ‘America’ and ‘I Feel Pretty’ and amazing dance routines. At times, the choreography was nothing more than stunning, as the cast performed delicate ballet routines alongside high-energy numbers. If any of the cast members fancy giving me a dance lesson or two, I will gladly take then up on that offer!
A cast member who particularly stood out for me was Rhiannon Walker who played ‘Maria’ - my god, that lady can sing, if you go and see it you will know what I mean and will be taken back by her stunning voice! I also loved ‘the sassy’ portrayal of Anita by Karen Stone, who could have quite easily have stepped from 1950s downtown New York. Neil Harland, who played the male lead character, Tony also particularly stood-out as he showcased his high level of acting and vocal ability.
Credit where credit is due has to go to live orchestra which is headed by Nigel Ball, who also give the audience an outstanding performance. It was the that good, that I often had to keep reminding myself that people where playing this music live and it wasn’t pre-recorded.
The bar for both the scenery and costumes was set pretty high too, with the transition between each scene going very smoothly. And whoever selected those beautiful vintage dresses, you clearly have amazing style; I wanted to immediately run home, try one on and swish around my front room!
After seeing this performance of West Side Story, it has inspired me to actively follow Darlington Operative Society’s future productions and I think I will 100% per cent become one of the Society’s friends. (I just want to part of their cool gang!)
West Side Story runs until this Saturday 8th April at The Princess Alexandra Auditorium. For tickets and further info, please visit the TicketSource website or by calling 01325 244 659.






















