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Salad Days was first produced in 1954 heralding
the dawn of a new age of hope and optimism following the war years,
rationing and deprivation. Originally commissioned as an end of season
summer show for Bristol Old Vic Company, the show was scheduled to run for
just two weeks. However, such was it’s popularity it later transferred to
the Vaudeville Theatre in the heart of London’s West End where it went on
to become the then longest running musical in history playing for 2,283
record breaking performances over five and a half years. Its success was
undoubtedly attributed to its light-hearted eccentricity and the natural
talent and exuberance of the cast.
It tells the tale of two young lovers Timothy and Jane, newly
graduated from university with the whole world at their feet but still
shackled to their respective families and under pressure from their
parents to ‘do the right thing’. In Jane’s case to marry well and quickly,
in Timothy’s to get a responsible job. The first problem is easily
resolved by marrying each other and when in the park they meet a tramp
with an old piano who offers to pay them in return for looking after the
instrument for a month, they believe their worries to be over. However,
all is not plain sailing when the young couple discover the piano to have
magical powers as all who hear its enchanting strains are irresistibly
urged to dance. A series of unexpected events follow and the adventure
ends when the tramp returns to reclaim his property. Although sad to see
her go, the youngsters are left full of hope for the future, the piano
having worked its spell.
This Matthew Townshend revival marks the 50th
anniversary of the show’s opening and is no less eccentric than the
original. Ingenious in design, the two dimensional, caricatured sets and
props perfectly enhance and reflect the concept and atmosphere of the
production as do the lavish and stunning costumes particularly those of
Lady Raeburn.
The eleven strong multi-talented cast portraying numerous
characters are headed by Vicki Michelle in the hugely diverse roles of
Lady Raeburn and night club artiste Asphynxia. Her opening scene reveals
Vicki as the former on a visit to the beauty parlour where the outlandish
treatment is anything but pampering. Executed with perfect diction, Vicki
expertly delivers a ten minute monologue while being slapped in the face
by an enormous, fully loaded powder puff; plastered with copious amounts
of face cream, undergoing a facial massage more befitting Shrek’s Lady
Fiona than a member of Britain’s finest aristocracy and skilfully avoiding
being strangled by a telephone wire. Act II sees her emerge as the
seductive and alluring Asphynxia in full Cleopatra style costume complete
with smouldering eyes. The song ‘Sand in my Eyes’ is the perfect vehicle
for Vicki both vocally and dramatically allowing her to inject the precise
amount of comedy into an otherwise sultry performance with just a hint of
the famous Yvette growl! In recent years she has established herself as an
accomplished musical performer which is proved evident in her powerful
delivery of Lady Raeburn’s musical numbers, while invariably
simultaneously dancing the
Charleston
on four inch heels and balancing under an excessively large hat, the like
of which would not be out of place in The Royal Enclosure at
Ascot.
The combination of two such contrasting roles is a challenge to which
Vicki rises with great aplomb. Also giving excellent performances were
Tony Howes as The Tramp, Helen Power as Jane and Jamie Read as Timothy the
young lovers.
Reviews
Herald
Express - South Devon.
 Vicki
Michelle of Allo Allo fame is the real star of the show as she
puts in hilarious performances as both Lady Raeburn, Jane's
Mother and Asphynxia, a night club singer.
Mid
Devon Gazette.
Terrific
Vicki Michelle, Tony Howes and the young couple, Helen Power and
Jamie Read were involved in a wonderful revival.
WMN
Elegant
in her NEW LOOK Vicki Michelle is both a glamorous Lady Raeburn
and a svelte Asphynxia.
The
Stage
The
poignant but pertinent "We Don't Understand Our Children" gets a
powerful delivery from Lady Raeburn (Vicki Michelle) and
Timothy's mother Sarah Shepherd.
The
Somerset County Gazette.
Vicki
Michelle adds greatly to the bitchy fun of her Lady Raeburn in
the hairdressing scene.
Manchester
Evening News.
Vicki
Michelle delivers her cameos as Lady Raeburn and Asphynxia
determinedly.
Worthing
Herald.
Vicki Michelle showed her usual high standard of dramatic acting
as the glamorous Lady Raeburn
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