Meet Me In St Louis at Watersmeet Theatre*** (From Watford Observer)

Meet Me In St Louis at Watersmeet Theatre***

3:54pm Friday 25th November 2011 in Reviews

Meet Me In St Louis is a musical show based on a film, based on a short story but most people will associate the songs with the legendary singer Judy Garland who starred in the colourful 1944 MGM movie, directed by her future husband Vincente Minnelli. With such an illustrious association it was intriguing to see how Rickmansworth Players would bring the story and the songs to the stage.

The play tells the story of an middle-class American family and their lives in St Louis in 1903, the year before the city's World Fair.

Alonso Smith (endearingly played by Stuart Carter) and Anna Smith (Nicola Walker) have five children and an Irish maid Katie (Jennie Jasper). The eldest daughter Rose (capably portrayed by Anna-Marie Pinnell) is hoping for a proposal from her beau (Brad Hatton) and the second-eldest daughter Esther (Mandi Aldridge) in the role made famous by Judy Garland is pining unnoticed for the affections of the boy-next-door (Paul Skinner).

Mandi Aldridge is strong in the role of Esther and full of charm and humour. The family also has the welcome additions of a comical and loveable Grandfather played with relish and enthusiasm by Jevan Morris, an older brother Lon (Adam Feighoney) and two younger daughters played excellently by Kristin Walker and Erin Potter.

Such classics as The Trolley Song and Meet Me In St Louis were well performed by the extended cast and orchestra, while the stand-out A Merry Little Christmas was touchingly delivered by the excellent Aldridge.

Such an all-American, low-key, family tale may not be to everyone's taste but the audience were cheered and uplifted by the cast and crew's valiant effort.

Karalyne Chalmers