13 A New Musical

This show got off to a fabulous start with Evan played by Euan Reid and the company in the high energy opening number Thirteen. With a great storyline about Evan turning 13, he has moved to Indiana from New York following the divorce of his parents.  All he wants is for all the cool kids in Indiana to join him for his Bar Mitzva.

The story was well told, and we enjoyed some excellent performances. Euan playing Evan showed excellent acting and vocal ability in equal measure. Patrice played by Evie Colgan displayed great acting and singing. As the storyline developed, we were introduced to Archie played by Struan Welsh, who brought an extremely high level of acting to the portrayal of the role and Ben Baldasara in the role of Brett showed us his talent in acting and singing. Kendra, played by Iona Henderson, was strong in all aspects of her performance, and Olivia Eccles, playing the role of Lucy showed us the power of her vocal and acting ability. The girls Cassie, Molly and Charlotte played by Lily Dennett, Elise Whyte and Lauren Cobey worked well together and shone in the final number ‘Brand New You’. Adam Cobey as Eddie and Kyle McPhelley as Malcolm were funny and along with Simon played by James Boyce and Richie played by Skye Faulds, we enjoyed their number ‘It Can’t Be True’. We experienced excellent routines from the strong ensemble, and it is fair to say that the entire company worked hard as a team throughout the performance to ensure that this production was of a high standard.  

Making use of a minimal set, and great lighting, the staging by Director Jamie Lee Aitken was very effective. Scene changes were smooth and well incorporated into the production. Iona McHugh ensured the choreography was slick and full of energy. The band under Musical Director Benjamin Collins was very tight and the vocals from the cast were excellent. All in all, this was a great show from start to finish. Well done!

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