Grand Hotel (2011)

Grand Hotel Poster

Production Details

Synopsis

This show has not been often performed in England but is a huge hit in America, where its original run played for more performances than “West Side Story”, “Carousel”, “Brigadoon” and “Showboat”.

It has 22 named parts, which were all cast from within the ranks of the company and marked the return to DMTC of Eileen Glenton, as the fading ballerina, for the first time since “Noel & Ivor!”

It tells the stories of a group of disparate people who happen to be staying in the Grand Hotel in Berlin in 1929. It is the time of the roaring 20s, just before the Great Depression and the rise of the Nazi Party. As Vicki Baum, the author wrote: “They were dancing on the edge of a volcano”. 

Cast

Grand Hotel Cast

Principals
The Company

Ruth Ball, Alison Banks, Denise Beckford, Lucy Beckford, Steven Berry, Hazel Bone, Liz Cairns, Liz Clapham, Peter Clapham, Doreen Cothay, John Cuckson, Janet Dixon, Mike Dixon, Christine Dobbie, Catherine Finn, Rob Gair, Karen Gallagher, Bill Harland, Hazel Harle, Helen Harries, Tony Harries, Jessica Heron, Steve Hill, Steph Hitch, Michelle Hood, Ryan Humphrey, Andy King, Catherine Lawes, Matthew Lewis, Paul Maddison, Catherine Marsden, Heather McLoughlin, Carina Nausner, Lisanne Nausner, Steve Norman, David O’Donnell, Charlotte Ritson, Sue Robinson, Jennifer Salkeld, Mareen Schoenfelder, Ellen Schramm, Derek Smith, Ed Turner, Katy Walton, Ian Wells, Emily Wright, Nadja Zimmermann

Dancers

Madeleine Banks, Matthew Banks, Sam Brown, Rachael Hanby, Andy King, Jennifer Kirby, James Manning, Beth Mitchell, Ryan Ridley, Emma Thursby, Ed Turner, Amy Witheat

Backstage

  • Stage Manager – Alan Ranson
  • Deputy Stage Manager – Catherine Kinson
  • Technical Manager – Brian Dunn
  • Gala Theatre Support Team – Jim Sobocinski, Michael Long, Graham Rushton
  • Stage Crew – Andrea Allen, Jean Forster, Jonathan Gilderoy, Liam Glendinning, Alice Harland, Brian Harland, Richard Hall, Michael Langthorne, Guy Lawes, Ann Ranson, John Smith, Christine Thompson, Gavin Tinkler, Nicky Tones & Team
  • Technical Advisor – the late Alan Hogarth
  • Stage Plans – Alan Ball
  • Set Hire – Scenic Projects Suffolk
  • Properties Team – Denise Brooksbank, Melanie Spedding, Rachael Burnett, Graham Sneddon, Maria Turner, Peter Turner
  • Properties – Society Prop Store
  • Extra Properties – David Foxall
  • Floral Displays – Mary Gordon, Thelma Wilson
  • Wardrobe – Jean Graham, Jane Flowers, Kathryn Fairbairn, Charlotte Fairbairn, Joan Spence
  • Costume Research – Jenni Sneddon
  • Costumes – Molly Limpets Sheffield, Society Wardrobe
  • Make-Up – Brenda Mullen, Ann Thompson, Carelle Thompson, Lesley Wright & Team
  • Prosthetic Make-Up Artist – Ben Ellis
  • Lightning Design – Brian Dunn
  • Sound Design – Andy Playford
  • Sound Effects – Brian Dunn, Andy Playford
  • Follow Spot Operators – Alan Ball, Sarah Jackson
  • Prompt – Jo Smart
  • Rehearsal Pianists – Martin Dack, Steven Hood, Malcolm Moffat, Mark Thompson
  • Chorus Notator – Maxine Hitch
  • Front of House – David Foxall, Margaret Sutton, Lawrence Jones, Frank Cure, Val Cure, Tommy Maw, Mary Robinson, Mollie Hughes, Brenda Robson
  • Chaperones – Maxine Hitch, Madeleine Banks, Rachael Hanby, Sandra Ritson, Derek Smith, Janice Smith
  • Dressers – Louise Mills, Audrey Robson, Team
  • Refreshments – Joan Foxall, Debbie Foxall, Connor Foxall & Team

Orchestra

  • Woodwind – Catherine Freeman, Bill Sneddon, Judith Rousseau & Mick Donnelly
  • Trumpets – Alex Lewis & Gordon Marshall
  • Horn – Chris Senior
  • Trombones – John Flood & John Milgate
  • Drums – Simon Fenwick
  • Percussion – Andy Booth
  • Keyboards – Martin Dack & Malcolm Moffat
  • Violins – Julia Boulton & Vince Fleming
  • Cello – Peter Richardson
  • Double Bass – Tony Abell

Gallery

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Programme

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Reviews

Gordan Richardson – NODA

Set in the ‘Grand Hotel, Berlin’ in 1929 on the cusp of the emergence of the Nazi Party, this production revolved around five very different lives, their hopes and aspirations – Baron Felix von-Gaigern, a penniless aristocrat (Graeme Walton), Elizaveta Grushinskaya, a ‘fading’ ballerina (Eileen Glenton), Flaemmchen, a typist (Rebecca Turner), Hermann Preysing, a director of a failing company (Olly Burton) and Otto Kringelein, a dying book keeper (Anthony Smith). All played their roles splendidly and ‘set the scene’ during the first Act for what was to come at the climax.

It would be wrong to suppose this production did not benefit from many other equally important roles – far too many to mention – however special praise must be paid to Clark Adamson, the cynical crippled ‘Doctor’ who remained in character throughout (even during the ‘bows’) and Steven Berry as ‘Erik’ who sang and acted the part of cowed desk clerk superbly.

A fixed set of the hotel lobby was well suited to the action and each balcony and alcove was fully utilised. Costumes were authentic for the period, especially the ladies.

Orchestration under the baton of Steven Hood was sympathetic to both the rich score and performers alike, whilst Kathleen Knox’s choreography was up to its normal high standard. At times the stage did look a little ‘cluttered’ with the large chorus but this did not detract from the spectacle that was ‘Grand Hotel.’ Fred Wharton and the whole society are to be congratulated on bringing this lavish production to the stage. After visiting the Gala theatre & watching your production of Grand Hotel I feel I must tell you what a great musical it was.

Norman Bentham

I congratulate you & would like you to pass my congratulations on to every one involved from top to bottom.

Thank you for a lovely evening.

Cherry Bartell 

I was a bit dubious at first with the doctors disability, Otto’s waiting to die, the has been ballet dancer, the boardroom man, the pregnant typist, plus the reception man waiting for the birth of his baby.

There seemed to be so much sadness, but as the show progressed I began to enjoy the story and the singing (always fabulous) enormously.