A Christmas Night To Remember

It was lovely to be welcomed back to the Thalian Hall to see Welwyn Thalians perform their seasonal extravaganza “A Christmas Night to Remember.” Compliant with Covid, rules in the auditorium were closely followed and tables set out bistro style were well distanced. I am sure everyone felt quite safe. 

Bob Ferguson made the perfect compare/host with a well-prepared script and a natural rapport with the audience. His catch phrase, “but……We can do better than that!” worked well and the audience love it and often joined in.

The opening company number, “Be Our Guest” was the perfect choice for the 24 strong cast and was sung with plenty of energy and enthusiasm. 

“Ya Got Trouble” was a tour de force for Adam Beckman who proved what an expert he is at annunciating, keeping time and displaying perfect diction. Well done. 

Carl Robinson’s rendition of “Razzle Dazzle” from the musical Chicago suited Carl well. The choreography was inventive with the use of feather fans, scarves and wheels and was very much appreciated by all. 

Reminiscent of the old-style pantomime “Cod Ballet” the next number was a Men’s Synchro swimming performance which was very funny indeed. Well-choreographed, the men took it all very seriously whilst the rest of us couldn’t stop laughing. Very clever. 

Jackie Radford brought us all back to the moment with “The Christmas song”. This was a tuneful performance with good breath control and a pleasant delivery. 

The Robbie Sketch was well written and the different reindeer characters were all perfect with no two reindeer the same. Facial expression and body language matched the characters and obviously a lot of thought had gone into the delivery. 

Vicki Shaw and Clive Dancey were faultless in the number “Timeless” from Hairspray. The connection was obvious, and voices blended well together. I enjoyed this number very much. 

The Disney Princesses was a very clever and well written number with each princess allowing the audience to hear the “real” person behind the character instead of the sugar-coated version we are all so used to. Well-done ladies you all worked beautifully together.

“Baby it’s Cold Outside” was confidently delivered by husband-and-wife team Mandy and Peter Sayers. Harmonies were strong and the juxtaposition of the tune and lyrics demonstrated how experienced these performers are. One of the highlights of the evening.

The Carol Singers gave us a comical selection of well-known carols which made us sit up and listen carefully to the jazzed-up lyrics. Again, a clever piece of writing enjoyed by everyone.

“Don’t Rain on my Parade” from Funny Girl was a real showstopper for Tammy Wall. Sung expertly to a klick track, this was a polished, confident performance one has grown to expect, and I was not disappointed. I loved it!

The first half ended with a Christmas medley incorporating the whole company and prepared us for our fish and chip supper. 

The second half began with a trip down memory lane for those of us that remember meeting up with friends and going dancing on a Saturday night. The number “Slice of Saturday Night” showcased some talented singers. Musicality, harmonies, and characterization were just right and prepared us for the remainder of the evening.

Colleen Town’s rendition of “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” was well paced and her connection with the audience made us all smile. Diction was good and musical inflection well controlled. Very entertaining.

“Six”, performed by 4 of the company’s strongest female singers was excellent. Every voice was well defined, and the choreography was on point. This upbeat number suited each member of the quartet perfectly and I was very impressed. Good work ladies.

The Christmas Panto rehearsal sketch certainly brought a smile to many of those who have been in panto ourselves. Well written, this sketch demonstrated that rehearsals are often fraught with issues, but we are all “lovies!” at heart. Some imaginative character work here.

“I could Always go to You” was a perfect duet for Alison Downes and Jenny Lewin. Both being convincing story tellers, the conviction with which their predicament was put across was outstanding. Vocally their voices blended well together, and the close harmony was faultless. A very proficient performance. Congratulations.

The “Dole Queue Divas” was one of the funniest take-on’s from “The Full Monty” that I have seen in a long time. Choreography was well co-ordinated, and the men kept in rhythm throughout, but it was the inclusion of MD Peter Farrell that was the master stroke and an element that no one expected. Genius!

“The Lady is a Tramp” sung by Adam Beckman and Tammy Wall highlighted once again two of the company’s leading performers. Both Adam and Tammy have a natural ability to engage with their audience and achieve a very accomplished, effortless performance. A good choice of song. 

The penultimate item in this concert was a compilation, sung by the whole company, of a variety of seasonal songs both old and new. Various members were featured, and all had a chance to shine. Choreography was simple but effective and everyone looked confident and well-rehearsed.

The final number was “One Day More” from Les Misérables. Sung with both energy and passion, this number brought a few tears from members of the audience, and I suspect, the cast also, during rehearsals. Vocals were strong, diction good and breath control well managed.

The Thalians have done themselves proud. The cast worked hard, costumes were very colourful and well thought through. The small band with Peter Farrell on keyboard and Dan Wild on drums did well to accompany the cast without being too loud and the lighting and sound by Andy Baker, was appropriate at all times. 

Thank you so much for inviting me and I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

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