Small is beautiful for all-singing, all-dancing Liza
LIZA GODDARD admits she’s not known for musicals, but she sure knows how to shake it.
The Doctor Who and Bergerac actress was dancing to Shaking The Blues Away at rehearsals of a musical based on 1957 comedy The Smallest Show On Earth. It’s about a couple — played by Laura Pitt-Pulford and Haydn Oakley — who inherit a fleapit of a cinema run by odd folk, including the box-office manager (Ms Goddard).).
There’s a lovely scene in which she declares her takings from punters have included chickens and a partridge, but very little coin of the realm.
The musical has been devised by director Thom Southerland, who hit on the idea of using the songs of Irving Berlin.
‘The lyrics weren’t written for the show, but work beautifully,’ says Pitt-Pulford, who joined the team after a run in the Open Air r Theatre’s lively production of Seven en Brides For Seven Brothers.
Goddard’s comic timing is perfect for the show, though she’s a relative newcomer to musicals.
‘It’s a learning curve, I can tell you. At the workshop of the show, I thought: “Oh, lovely! I can have a coffee and sit around.” But, bang! They hand you music and you sing all day.’
The cast, who include Brian Capron, Ricky Butt
and Sam O’Rourke, were having a ball when I dropped by rehearsals,rehea where musical director Mark Aspinall and choreographer Lee Proud were putting them through their paces.
The Smallest Show On Earth is at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester, Essex, from tonight until October 10, before going on tour.