EUSOG: Salad Days

The cast and crew of Salad Days

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Review

'Salad Days' by Julian Slade

As a musical that aims to trace the post-university life choices of characters Jane and Timothy, the Savoy Opera Group's production of Julian Slade's musical Salad Days stylishly disregards the veneer of a conventional coming-of-age tale.

Set in the 1950s, Salad Days centres on two friends who experience parental pressure to get married and find employment. Deciding one day that they must hurry to do both in order to avoid these unpleasant family lectures, they get married and agree that Timothy must take the first job that he is offered. A tramp offers them the grand sum of £7 a week to look after an old piano which, as it transpires, incites all who hear it to dance. A dastardly plan by the Ministry of Pleasure and Pastimes attempts to foil the enjoyment of the young couple, but a chance encounter with a flying saucer, a plethora of conveniently employed uncles on Timothy's part, and the persuasive powers of Minnie, the piano, ensure a harmonic end to the increasingly bizarre musical extravaganza.

The magical "hurdy-gurdy" at the centre of Slade's musical at first seems mirrored in the thrown-together relationship between Jane and Timothy at the beginning of the piece. The imbalance of this initial lurch into the tale is soon redressed, however, and as the first foray into directing musical theatre by Nick Ward, Salad Days is a compelling effort. Ward directs a particularly strong cast and, without overshadowing the talents of Olivia Holland-Rose as Jane and Joe Pike as Timothy, the character of Nigel played by Ali Watt drives most life and humour into the musical.

The cast perform with gusto, and the tiny musical ensemble led by Derek Williams revives the musical score to its past glory. Despite slight weaknesses in the group chorus, the cast utilise the small, rather bare stage set with skill, and though the limited space occasionally cramps the choreography, these slight imperfections allow the piece to retain the innocent charm central to its theme. Salad Days is certainly a camp production, and does not seem to shy away from this concept; yet it also oozes wit and engages the audience in a way that makes it impossible to disregard.

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