The Eglesfield Musical Society’s summer show is an annual highlight in the Queen’s Trinity Term calendar of events. This year, the College gardens provides the backdrop for Guys and Dolls bringing together students from colleges across Oxford. Musical Director and Queen’s MCR President Kyle tells us more.
You describe this production as “fast, playful, and a little bit different”; what can audiences expect that they wouldn’t get from a traditional staging?
The most obvious answer to this is the fact that this production is outside in the beautiful setting of the Fellows’ Garden at Queen’s. The audience is completely surrounded by the action, and for the first time in recent Queen’s history, the band is also in the garden with the audience. This means that the band becomes part of the action, and the audience sees what’s going on onstage, and what is happening in the pit. It is truly immersive.
Outdoor theatre always comes with the unexpected. What have been some of the challenges during the preparation and how have you adapted?
As with the previous EMS musicals I have been involved in, I’ve learnt that it’s best not to stress about the weather. These things tend to sort themselves out! Nonetheless, we are prepared with three very grand marquees to cover the band and the technical elements of the show, and we advise the audience to bring warm coats, as it can get chilly when the sun goes down.
For those who might not know Guys & Dolls, what makes it such an enduring musical?
As a musical director, my natural answer to this questions is the highly enjoyable and memorable score. The music in this musical is simply perfect. Each song is ubiquitous in its own right, but the whole musical is tied together by a set of recurring themes that are as much joyful as they are deeply moving to listen to. I think there are very few people who leave Guys and Dolls without humming or whistling the tunes they’ve just enjoyed for days after they’ve seen it. Having worked on it for several months, I fear that for me, I will be humming these tunes for months.
The music in this musical is simply perfect.
Music is central to the show’s energy: how are you approaching the score to match the immersive, close-up setting?
The score has got a lot of energy and contrasting moments to it, which require the band and singers to really pay attention to the dynamics and phrasing across the music. Paying to attention to the differences between the long singing musical lines and the short sharp funky music (and everything in between) across the score really brings the audience into the setting and mood of a specific scene or moment in the show. Having such engaging choreography has also helped bring out these moments in the cast’s performances.
What are you finding most enjoyable about preparing for the show?
Working with so many people from across the collegiate university is by far the most rewarding aspect of all the EMS musicals I have done. You meet so many people, all of whom are incredibly talented, and get to work on this amazing and unique piece of art together over several months. Making music together, dancing together, and laughing together is infectious and something very special. Seeing it all come together in the garden is always incredibly satisfying, and brings us all together to create (if you’ll excuse the cheese) memories that last a lifetime.
Making music together, dancing together, and laughing together is infectious and something very special.
