Salad Days
Venue: Riverside Studios
Where: Outer London
Date Reviewed: 16 November 2009
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We said we wouldn’t look back, as the song goes, but we have no choice in the matter with Salad Days, the charmingly fey and silly 1954 musical by Julian Slade and Dorothy Reynolds that ran for over five years in the West End but flopped dismally on its last outing there in 1997.

Bill Bankes-Jones’ revival for the little opera company Tete a Tete transforms the larger Riverside studio into a London park with grassy bleachers and tables for customers sipping Pimms and munching cucumber sandwiches. You’re given a graduation scroll by a scarlet-gowned don as you take your seat, or your green patch.

For this is the post-graduate, post-war, coming-out-of austerity nostalgia jag in which Timothy and Jane, both lumbered with parental expectations (“Find yourself something to do, dear”), prolong life in an escapist cocoon by taking charge of a magic piano that makes everyone dance.

The songs are lovely, especially Jane’s ballads which are sweetly discharged by Michelle Francis in a floral frock, and the ensemble items – “We’re Looking for a Piano” and “Oh, Look at Me” – spiritedly choreographed by Quinny Sacks; she even makes the Act One finale, “Out of Breath,” look like a dance marathon, with an exhausted conga line splitting in two.

But the pace overall is too slow, Anthony Ingle’s musical direction too flaccid (you’d hardly notice there were two pianos) and the revue sketches in a beauty parlour, night club and dress shop crying out to be cut; the actors are fine in them, but the exact period idiom is irretrievable.

The cast is a good mix of musical theatre troupers and light opera names, with G&S patter specialist Richard Suart adding a touch of real class, while Sam Harrison’s Timothy is a lithe and likeable chinless wonder.

Sophie-Louise Dann is in good voice and versatility mode, Ellie Robertson shines as the coyly flirtatious Fiona, Graham Howes and Andrew Ahern form a nifty dance partnership as the policemen, and Lee Boggess is a sweet-natured Harpo-type mime. I love this show, and Tete a Tete handle it with affection but perhaps not enough creative rigour.

- by Michael Coveney

Reader Reviews

Score	Comment	Date
	Not sure where this gentleman was, is he the Minister for pleaseure and pastimes? The show is stunning, the staging fantastic and the package of voice, movement and acting unique due to the entire ensembles abilites in all areas. I have been twice and enchanted, and my guests the same. I see it has had fantasic reviews in all the nationals too. Quite right. - Rowena	18 Nov 09
	At a time when all around us is doom and gloom, how refreshing to go and see a revival of this classic 1950's piece. The younger audiences of today may think of this as twaddle but for me it is pure escapism for a dark damp night. Congratulations to a superb and very energetic cast and as for the gardeners - WOOF!. I am going back to see it again on Sunday. - erlangerboys	17 Nov 09
	This show was a breath of fresh air in this gloomy November. The dancing and singing got my feet tapping every time. The cast amazing in their ability to switch from character to character. referring to the review by Cassox, I wonder which show they attended since it was not the one I saw. Everyone came out with a smile on their face and I overheard nothing but positive comments, such as 'I wish it was on for longer' 'it was just as good as the original' and 'far exceeded expectations'. I am definitely going again to take my family before it ends! - Phoenix	16 Nov 09
	I was a little bemused as to why Tete a Tete were doing Salad Days, and unfortnatly it's a massive disappointment. In fact it's unforgivable that it has been reduced to a joyless, painfully slow chore rather than the frothy warm and delightful show it is. In fact what is most unforgivable is that the production hinders the amazing cast. Sophie Lousie Dann, Clare Machin and new comer Sam Harrison (who i saw in 'Crazy For You' at the London palladium last month.. done in 48 hours) are completely fabulous actors in there own rights, but here they are forced to meander aimlessly about the stage and seem like they are fighting against some truly horrible direction. The concept (traverse setting where the audience can sit on astro-turf, standard seats or cafe style.. which included free pimms and cucumber sandwiches) of the show is lovely and the ambiance and goodwill radiated form the audience before the show began, But then the horror started. The direction above all things is lazy and misses EVERY joke. Set pieces such as 'Gusset Creations' were plain and pointless with the comedy of high fashion missed, 'Find yourself something to do' was limp and garbled, the constant motion on stage irritating and without point, the choreography lazy and dull. The Musical direction is not much better with singers forced to sing the songs straight and at one tempo missing lines, gags and larks a plenty. It's as if the MD has decided that the single tempi given at the beginning of the song HAD to be adhered to at all times. I really did feel sorry for all of the performers who are, without exception, the best performers i've seen in the whole of my life!. It is, however, better than the Young Vic's 'Annie get your gun' which is truly truly horrific. - Cassox	14 Nov 09

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