With its small cast and musical ensemble, Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George was perfectly suited to the intimate setting of the Ellis Theatre. The fictional plot is based on a pointillist masterpiece by George Seurat which depicts a crowd of bourgeois Parisians relaxing in a park on their day off. The painter himself (played by Edward Fry), and one of the characters in the picture, the aptly-named Dot (played by Cecily Money-Coutts), are involved in a fragile courtship.

The painter is trying to create ‘order, balance and harmony’ and his struggle to do so is felt through the music. It is only at the end of the first half that Seurat achieves harmony by completing the painting and the music bursts into an impassioned chorus sung by the whole ensemble. The second half jumps forward to modern times as the picture is being shown in a gallery. The story comes full circle as a descendant of Seurat (a contemporary installation artist) is propelled into the painting: the characters come alive and he is able discover his own ‘harmony’ as the uplifting chorus of the first half then concludes the production.

The Director, Jane Darby, produced a challenging, intimate and deeply personal show and it was a privilege to have seen such a mature and professional school production.