by Anura Guruge
on December 29, 2023
Click images to ENLARGE.
I have always maintained that ALL ‘Revels‘, by definition, are GOOD (& yesterday’s Revels in Cambridge was probably the 25th I have attended between Cambridge & ‘Revels North‘ (and this was my 2nd Revels of the year)).
So, it was GOOD. Of that there can never be any doubt or debate.
So, when I ‘review’ a Revel, all I am still always in the SPECTRUM of the GOOD. So, yes, we have GOOD, better, best, memorable, exceptional, outstanding, gob-smacking etc.
Yesterday’s show, the last of 2023, in my reckoning was middle-of-the GOOD spectrum. Better than just plain good, but not as good as some of the past ones at Cambridge (and the ‘Venetian’ & ‘Arcadian’ readily spring to mind).
“The Feast of Fools” was very powerful & compelling on the acting/performance & stagecraft/prop departments. Tour de force. But, in my opinion, it was a tad light on the MUSICAL front. Yes, of course, there was plenty of music, song & dance — but there was NOTHING totally captivating.
Yes, there was a delectable ‘Peasant Dance‘, with gypsy music, but it was all instrument.
The incomparable M.C. & maestro ‘David Coffin‘ did NOT appear to play as bigger role as he normally does. That might be the crux of it.
I got to meet & shake hands with David BEFORE the show. WOW! First time I actually got to meet him. I had (through some contacts I have in the ‘Front Office’) managed to get a copy of my ‘Christmas Quiz‘ book delivered to him. He came upstairs looking to see who sent it down. He had it in his hand. So, I knew he was looking for I. That was SPECIAL.
Though it contained all the mandatory Revels ‘elements’ we did NOT have a SWORD DANCE this year. Instead we had a STICK dance. Not the same. I love the Cambridge sword dances.
The King had enormous presence & bearing. Quite the guy. But …
C’est la vie. It was still GOOD. Better than good, just not way up there. SMILE.
Still made my day. My year is now complete.
