Review: The Witches of Eastwick at Norwich Theatre Royal
Norfolk and Norwich Operatic Society's production of The Witches of Eastwick which is at Norwich Theatre Royal. Photo: Norwich Theatre Royal - Credit: Archant
Visitors to Norwich's Theatre Royal are being put under a spell.
That is because the Norfolk and Norwich Operatic Society's production of The Witches of Eastwick has hit the city centre stage.
The musical comedy is based on the John Updike novel and the hit 1987 film starring Jack Nicholson, Cher, Michelle Pfieffer and Susan Sarandon.
Claire Reynolds Chandler (Alexandra Spofford), Kathryn White (Jane Smart) and Andrea Ferguson (Sukie Rougemont) play the three 'Witches' who fall under the spell of the devilish Darryl Van Horne.
The three female leads sparkled as the trio of bored, sultry and sassy beauties who became sisters who did it for themselves. Terry Boast, cast as Van Horne, is more Jim Carrey than Jack Nicholson in a performance with the emphasis on the comic rather than the charismatic.
But that is not to belittle Boast's turn which, although sometimes awkward, was strangely mesmerising in a can't take your eyes off him kind of a way.
He, like the rest of the cast, did not take himself too seriously in a production that was filled with light as well as shade, even in its darkest moments.
Harriet Chambers was responsible for many of the lighter moments as the battleaxe Felicia Gabriel as too was Joshua Gould as Fidel.
Add to the comedy some scintillating effects, as well as some stunning vocals and you have a spellbinding stage show.
• The Witches of Eastwick runs at the Norwich Theatre Royal until Saturday.
For tickets call the box office on 01603 630000.