Review: The Pajama Game; Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group

The chilly nights were thoroughly warmed up when The Pajama Game hit the stage of The Pendle Hippodrome this week.
The cast of Pajama Game, presented by Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group. (s)The cast of Pajama Game, presented by Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group. (s)
The cast of Pajama Game, presented by Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group. (s)

Opening with pretty pastel shades through costumes, delicate lighting and attractive melodies soaring to the rafters, this delightful musical love story was gently upheld with comedy.

The musical is the creation of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, based on the novel, Seven and a Half Cents by George Abbott and Richard Bissell and is a story of moral dilemma, of contention over low-wages, but most poignantly, it is one about love, and how it can put ordinary people into extraordinary situations.

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Josh Hindle handled the character of Sid Sorokin with believable charm.

The cast of Pajama Game, presented by Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group. (s)The cast of Pajama Game, presented by Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group. (s)
The cast of Pajama Game, presented by Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group. (s)

Handsome and holding the audiences gaze throughout, his rendition of Hey There gave the audience insight into both his deep feelings for the lovely Babe (Penelope Hatfield) and his doubts of ever capturing her heart: “Better forget her, her with her nose in the air, she has you dancing on a string, break it and she won’t care”.

This touching and moving song created impact among the many beautiful melodies in this production; cleverly produced as a duet, both parts sung by Hindle, it was as delicious as it was melancholy.

Comic scenes were many, and wonderful performances were given by Jill Harrison (Mabel), Sophie Greenwood (Gladys) and Blue Blezard (Vernon), however, they were accompanied well by a small ensemble cast and enhanced by the sweetly choreographed moves and comedy in numbers such as Once A Year Day.

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The orchestra skilfully supported each number, colouring the stage as beautifully as the costumes and carefully arranged lighting design.

The cast of Pajama Game, presented by Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group. (s)The cast of Pajama Game, presented by Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group. (s)
The cast of Pajama Game, presented by Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Group. (s)

The set for this production was simple and functional, easily moveable to allow for dance and freedom of movement. Use of painted backdrops provided a change in location, and a change of mood, such as from the sweatshop environment of the factory to that of the great outdoors. This was successful, swift and cleverly picturesque, a technique used in several Hippodrome productions because of the simplicity what it achieves. Director Stephen Burrows may have been scratching his head when first deciding how to make such quick transitions, however, if he did, then he need not have worried.

A bright and breezy show this may have been, yet it was also a tale that was as real as it was warming, romanticised yet redolent.

The Pajama Game runs until tomorrow. See www.phtheatre.co.uk