Whistle Down The Wind

BrassNeck Theatre Company

Yeadon Town Hall

I have seen four professional productions of Whistle Down The Wind over the last few years but this amateur production by BrassNeck Theatre Company ranks among the best of them.

The Phantom of the Opera meets Meatloaf could well be an apt description of this brilliant musical. This is because the music and lyrics are by two of the most prolific writers of the modern era – Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman.

The original story, by Mary Haley Bell (wife of Sir John Mills) was made into a film in the 1960s, produced by Sir Richard Attenborough. The musical, however, is set not on the Lancashire moors but in the deep south of the USA.

There are some outstanding performances in this production, directed by Royston Bayfield. Teenager Rebecca Ferrin is terrific as Swallow, while Chris Slater is excellent as The Man, who the children find in the barn and think is Jesus.

Boone, the children’s father is superbly portrayed by Richard Lloyd, who local theatregoers will remember from his fabulous performance as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof last November.

The two younger children, Brat and Poor Baby, are played by sister and brother Sophie and Jack Downham, from Farsley, and they too turn in excellent performances. I remember Sophie well from her superb performance as Annie in the musical of the same name in Leeds at Christmas 2011.

These main principals are well supported by fellow actors Ben Tomlinson as Amos, Emily Taylor as Candy, Winstan Robinson as Edward, Sam Chipman as Earl, Andrew Walton and Freddie Bolt as the sheriff and his deputy and Simon Monte as the minister.

The chorus work is outstanding under the direction of Tom Kyle, the musical mirector, and there is excellent choreography from Donna Woodman.

The highlight has to be the children’s chorus, who are fantastic in their numbers When Children Rule the World and the hit made famous by Boyzone, No Matter What. I can safely say you will leave the theatre whistling these two numbers – just as I did!

There are still some tickets left for Saturday’s matinee and a few, surprisingly, for Saturday evening.

Forget Eurovision. Get yourselves to Yeadon Town Hall for what I guarantee will be an excellent evening of entertainment of musical theatre at its best.

For tickets, ring (0113) 250 5011.

John Burland