Sweet Charity as presented by UCD Musical Society

UCD Musical Society 

Sweet Charity 

Friday 27th September 

UCD Musical Society performed, ‘Sweet Charity,’the first of their three (!) 2024/2025 productions, in the UCD Astra Hall. I attended what was supposed to be the second of three performances. However, disaster had struck the day before and they had been forced to cancel their opening show due to a campus-wide power cut. Thankfully, the show gods were on their side once more as they played to a packed house, bringing Neil Simon’s book and Cy Colemen’s score to life. Front of house was extremely busy and there was a wonderful buzz of expectation amongst the predominantly student audience as they queued to cheer the cast and crew on. We were met by the most wonderful trio, who couldn’t have been more welcoming, and they ensured that we were very well looked after for the evening. 

Mafalda Zúquete made her directorial debut and will have learned a huge amount from the experience. Ms. Zúquete created some very funny moments throughout the show and did particularly good work on the iconic elevator scene, where she captured Oscar’s claustrophobic hell so well. More work needed to be done to marry the technical requirements of the show to the dramatic action but that is something that takes time to fine tune, and this was a solid starting point for Ms. Zúquete. 

Cara McCrystal, who doubled up as production manager, was choreographer and she did very well in tailoring her routines to the abilities of the cast. ‘Rich Man’s Frug’ gave a good sense of the higher echelons of the New York social set, with its stylised moves and its well-pitched performance levels. I felt that ‘The Rhythm of Life’ could have been more rousing and maybe needed the suggestion of being (dare I say?!) ‘substance fuelled.’ An injection of unbridled hedonism may have given it a well-needed lift. ‘I Love to Cry at Weddings’ was a very strong full cast number. 

Luke Shiels was musical director for what can be a challenging show, musically, at the best of times. It is a big ask to try to master the big, brassy Cy Coleman score with anything less than a professional orchestra. Whilst the student orchestra was clearly made up of talented musicians, there were times when things were not very secure in the pit, and this affected some performances on stage. Mr. Shiels is to be commended for the huge amount of work that he put into the show. Had he had professional musicians at his disposal, I have no doubt that his obvious talent would have shone through even more. 

Niamh Ní Fhoghlú did strong work as vocal director. Principal singing was of a very good standard and all of the ensemble harmonies appeared accurate. Whilst there were some balance issues in ‘The Rhythm of Life,’ it appeared to be more of a sound mix problem than a vocal one. 

Eva Furlong was an all-singing, all-dancing Charity Hope Valentine and she put her heart and soul into what is a hugely challenging and demanding role. Ms. Furlong sang very well, especially in her signature number ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now,’ which she thoroughly 

enjoyed. She wasn’t always supported very well by the orchestra, having to pluck some of her starting notes out of the air, on occasion. But she recovered each time and, fittingly, gave a very impressive performance full of the optimism and determination expected of Ms. Valentine. 

Elijah Lopez was a class act and entirely believable as the nervy, yet endearing, Oscar Lindquist. Mr. Lopez had a natural command of dialogue and had a great sense of comic timing. His elevator scene with Ms. Furlong was a comic highlight of the show, with both performers playing so well off one another. He sang so well too, with ‘Sweet Charity’ showcasing his smooth vocals at their best. 

Jennifer Yorke, as Nickie, was a delight as Charity’s wise-cracking, fellow dance hall hostess. Ms. Yorke brought her scenes to life with excellent vocals, movement, and overall stage presence. Her experience shone through in what was one of the strongest performances of the night, for me. 

Also very impressive, was Sophie Fitzsimons as Helene. Ms. Fitzsimons was very polished vocally and was a strong dancer too. ‘Baby Dream Your Dream’ was a musical highlight, with both Ms. Fitzsimons and Ms. Yorke relishing the moment and setting the performance bar high. 

Dario Regazzi nailed the accent in his humorous interpretation of Italian movie star Vittorio Vidal. His suave panache was nicely balanced with a light comic touch, and he displayed a fine baritone voice in his lovely rendition of ‘Too Many Tomorrows.’ 

Amy Van Eekeren was double jobbing in the roles of Daddy Brubeck and Herman, the owner of the seedy Fandango ballroom. I felt that, as Daddy B, she needed to drive the scene and the song a little more to give us a larger-than-life character who could plausibly have duped their followers. She was ably assisted by Isabelle Hubert as her trusty sidekick. As Herman, Ms. Van Eekeren was super and ‘I Love to Cry at Weddings’ was a standout number of the show for me. 

Teddy Peeva was most believable as Vittorio’s lover, Ursula. She had a fine stage presence and showed lots of comic potential, particularly during the closet scene. 

Joellen Donohoe and Mercedes Estarellas provided great support as dance hall hostesses Rosie and Carmen. Leela Brook had good presence as Vittorio’s butler, Manfred and Francesco Bach was a standout ensemble performer who also doubled up as Charity’s opportunistic, unscrupulous boyfriend, Charlie. 

The hardworking ensemble were always busy and fully committed to the production team’s vision. Dancing was well-rehearsed, and harmonies were secure. The ladies in ‘Big Spender’ were suitably seductive and there was great energy from all in ‘The Rhythm of Life’ and ‘I Love to Cry at Weddings.’ 

Sets were minimalist but effective, for the most part. The NYC skyline looked well with its built in lights and the upstage rostrum provided good scope for different levels of staging. Various signs suggested changes of location. I did feel that the closet and the elevator, central to the show’s two most iconic scenes, needed more attention. 

Stage manager Ella Ruddle marshalled an efficient crew who entered from the auditorium like a swarm of ants to execute the numerous set changes. More collaboration with the MD was needed to ensure that enough scene change music was in place and lighting needed to hold until changes were complete.

Props were generally very good, with suitable attention to detail. However, the cuddly canine did jar a little as did the misspelled ‘Congats’ sign. 

I felt that the lighting for this show could have benefited from a good deal more tech time. Key lighting was missing at numerous points throughout the show and faces couldn’t always be seen. Timing of moving lights with cast, particularly when trying to follow Charity, needed much more rehearsal. The upstage LEDs lit the audience more than the performers at times. The various LED colour washes were well chosen but key light from the front bar was often required for faces to be seen. 

Sound was generally solid, and vocals sat nicely above the orchestra, for the most part. Late cueing of radio mics was an issue, and we were often half a line or more in before a performer’s mic came up. That can happen, especially early in a run, but when it happens consistently throughout a show, it needs to be looked at. Sound effects were well chosen. The elevator scene would have benefitted from the use of suitable effects. 

Costumes were basic but generally suitable for the era. Some very modern looking runners should have been avoided. I would have liked to see Charity in something other than her black dress for the duration of the show. The black and white theme worked really well for the ‘Rich Man’s Frug,’ as did the mix of tie-dye and coloured t-shirts in ‘The Rhythm of Life.’ 

Hair and make-up looked well with appropriate hairstyles and good use of coloured eyeshadow for the girls, giving an authentic 60s look. 

My abiding memory of taking part in student productions a million years ago, is the huge

sense of camaraderie and collaboration as we worked tirelessly to be creative and to produce theatre on a shoestring. UCD Musical Society clearly has that same work ethic and drive, and I have no doubt that they will continue to build on what has been a strong start to their season.

With two more productions to come, I am excited to see their progress over the coming months. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality and congratulations on an entertaining production of ‘Sweet Charity.’ 

Pat McElwain 

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025

Some photos of the production kindly shared by the society: