70, Girls, 70

“No good parts for older actors!” - a common complaint, but yes there are  - in 70, Girls, 70 at Gold Coast Little Theatre. This is a Kander & Ebb musical about seniors on a shop-lifting spree to finance a secure place to stay in NY. Because? Well, who would arrest old people? Who even notices old people?

In vaudeville style, Melba and Fritzi (Marlene Blight and Noni Buckland) delivered rousing intro and song'n'dance breaks covering frequent scene-changes to Director Roger McKenzie's simple but effective set.

Harry (Brett Raguse) explained larceny in a difficult patter-song, “The Caper”. Anne Ryan, as Ida, then drove Sadie the shop-keeper (Maria Buckler) mad, and pathos reigned as the cast sang “You and I” while sitting by their broken TV. Gert (Judie Newman) enthused them all with her kleptomaniac song “See the Light”.

Act II opened with a real bang, as retired burglar Walter (Joel Beskin) used too much dynamite. Tears again, with “Go Visit your Grandmother” (Jessica Ng and Marilyn Cullell) and “Say Yes” led by Ida (Anne Ryan). In spite of a warning: “We're old enough to stop the show, talk when we want to, sing when we want to", GCLT audience found real charm in the cast and their occasionally uncertain antics - all kept together by 'Hit it Lorraine' (Mary Walters) on keyboard & Freddie Rutherford on drums.

Eric James

Image: “The Love Interest” - Joel Beskin and Jann Alcorn. Photo: Dan Ryan.