A Lifetime in Song

A lively evening’s entertainment was presented by this hardworking company. This musical variety show was planned and produced by themselves and variety there was in abundance. Everyone played their part. In the first half, their varied programme of song took the audience from childhood, with songs from the likes of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Mary Poppins and Mathilda, through to adolescence from The Sound of Music, Blood Brothers, La Cage Aux Folles and Sunshine on Leith and on to young love. From the outset, the company numbers such as ‘Candyman’, ‘Let’s go Fly A Kite’, and ‘Why Must I Be A Teenager in Love’ had the audience engaged and at least one person, me, singing along. The duets and groups in numbers  such as ‘That Guy’, ‘16 Going on 17’, ‘Matchmaker’,  ‘It Must be Love’ and ‘Buenos Aires’ were all well matched and beautifully sung. The rousing ‘I’m Gonna Be (500miles)’ brought us up to the interval. The second act was no less varied where songs looked at the highs and lows of life from shows like Oklahoma and Showboat and then ended with looking back on life from Gigi and Cabaret. Confident solos ‘I Hate Men’, ‘Who’s Sorry Now?’ and ‘It Was A Very Good Year’ and accomplished duet ‘I Remember It Well’ intermingled with lively company numbers, like ‘I’m Sitting on Top Of The World’, ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ and ‘Cabaret’. This was a slick show: songs moved seamlessly from one to the next; movement was timely and in keeping with the words of the songs; costumes were as varied as the songs and colourful; lighting showed an experienced hand; and the combo of keyboard, bass and drums was supportive and sympathetic to the singers. For me, what was most striking and engaging was the concentration on good singing, clear diction and well expressed harmonies. This is what made the evening pass on wings and with delight. Well done everyone.

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