AN almost full house saw Abbey Musical Society kick off its annual run at the Forum with Call Me Madam in March 1993 and after three hours of the all-singing, all-dancing spectacular the audience went home happy.

So reported The Mail which - under the headlines ‘A Right Madam!’ and ‘A musical feast with a taste of the USA’ - devoted a sizable spread to the latest extravaganza from the popular musical society.

The society, said the Mail, knew its audience to a tee and it catered for them perfectly.

Call Me Madam is a musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. The musical premiered in Connecticut in September 1950, later moving to Broadway, where it ran for 644 performances.

A 1953 film adaptation by 20th Century Fox starred Ethel Merman, George Sanders and Donald O’Connor.

The drama in the musical centres on the new American ambassador to the tiny European country of Lichtenburg - the waspish Sally Adams, who was played in Abbey Musical Society’s production by Heather Collinge.

She meets and falls head over heels in love with the Lichtenburg foreign minister Cosmo Constantine, who was played by Dave Diggiel.

Chorus numbers like Mrs Sally Adams, Something to Dance About and Washington Square Dance were successful and choreographer Helen Snow did a great job organising the colourful dance sequences.

Howard Newby, who played Mrs Adams' secretary Kenneth Gibson, had a strong singing voice, demonstrated in numbers like Once Upon a Time, It's A Lovely Day Today and You're Just in Love.

The scenery also deserved praise, with lavish sets ranging from the Public Square in Lichtenburg to the American Embassy.

The excellent orchestra added to the fun and the society gave the bumper crowd good value and a great night out.

In 2001 the society staged its regular summer show.