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Compton Players - Klondike Kalamity

April 13th to 15th 2000, at the Coronation Hall, Compton.

This is what the NWN had to say.

Oh, what a Kalamity!

'KLONDIKE KALAMITY', performed by the Compton Players, from April 13 to 15

A HOST of colourful characters trod the boards in true melodramatic style in the Compton Players' latest production Klondike Kalamity.

Set somewhere in the Yukon territory in 1888, it had all the ingredients so vital to melodrama: love, greed, deceit, revenge, lost and found relatives and, as always, good triumphing over evil.

A pure and chaste maid (Nell Oudt) was revealed alone in a remote cabin. Her only company was the daily visit of Bruno the Bear at her window. Soon poor Nell was joined by her father (Warren Oudt) returning with meagre supplies, having tramped miles through the snow.

As Nell, Jasmine Gartshore played her role with charm and innocence. Considering this was her first role with the players, it was an impressive debut. Conversely, Robertson Bell used his considerable experience to great effect as Warren Oudt, bringing much humour to the proceedings.

No one ever came to their cabin, until then at least, but as the plot unfolded, we were inundated with visitors. Roger B Upright, a disgraced mountie on the run was played in true lantern-jaw style by Scott Hulme; Fangduster T Barrelbottom VIII, the despicable villain of the piece (boo), was excellently played by David McKenzie with deep south drawl, and Farley Goodbody (Brenda Prior) was a woman disguised as a man, being the amnesic long-lost wife of Warren Oudt.

The plot thickened. Fangduster had plenty of nasty tricks up his sleeve, but nothing that couldn't be dealt with by Roger B Upright, and the next arrivals: Chief Wapakonetta (Nick Roberts - more cheers), Gwendoline Oudt (Fiona Mackay), Justice Dunn (Paul Shave) and Prince K'nook (Philip Prior - even more cheers).

The cabin scene was perfect, but the sawmill with the black masking cloths was not up to standard. The many effects, however, were well handled and the spirit of melodrama well maintained.

Director Enid Farr is to be congratulated for giving the young actors a chance to act in a full-scale production. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns and the offbeat humour left us all thoroughly entertained.

TREVOR DOBSON

And don't forget the backstage people - with Alec Farr as stage manager, Sam Langley doing the snow and the hand-powered sawmill blade (he was on stage, but hidden, and narrowly avoided getting trampled by the villain and Roger during the fight scene), Robin Hawkins on lighting and Ruth Jackson as Prompt.