A Night of Musicals

When you’ve reached the venerable age of 125, how do you celebrate? Why, with a one-off concert. PODS were determined to celebrate this milestone in style, and they did with this sell out concert.

Artistic director Hannah had trawled the archives to bring songs both old and new to life for this evening, she had encouraged older members who no longer performed to appear in video excerpts with reminiscences and memories. These were of great interest and some emotion and were an integral part of the evening, thank you for including these. Over the years so many shows have been performed and repeated so in this large cast of over 60 performers many reprised favourite songs and roles. I’m sorry that it is not possible to list all the individuals who performed each number.

The concert started by taking the society back to their earliest days of 1901 and 1902 with excerpts from Iolanthe and The Gondoliers and through such well loved shows as Fiddler on the Roof, Carousel, Half a Sixpence, Family favorite’s such as Oliver, The King and I, The Sound of Music, and more recent productions Shrek the Musical, Sister Act so magnificently performed in Peterborough Cathedral, this year’s Beauty and the Beast and looking to the future We will Rock You and Come from Away.

There were some magnificent scenes from South Pacific, Beauty and the Beast, 42nd Street all smartly costumed with great choreography. Most of the show had the company singing in concert style all smartly dressed in DJ or black dresses to comply with ‘Rights Issues’. There was use of props, I especially liked the setting of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a great favourite of mine. Other routines such as Flash Bang Wallop, Oom Pah Pah and I’m Going to Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair, the emotional songs of You’ll Never Walk Alone and Godspeed Titanic were all enjoyed by the appreciative audience. The entire programme was well thought through, following the two opening numbers from Gilbert and Sullivan we had Kiss me Kate’s Another Op’nin’. Another Show and this wonderful concert closed with Sister Act’s Spread the Love.

Although this show was mainly set and choreographed by Hannah there were eight other choreographers who had set various numbers, sorry, I haven’t listed all the routines but they should be happy in the knowledge that all routines were very well performed, they had drilled the company well. The great sound of the orchestra and the singing was overseen by Musical Director Steve Hession, it was great that the orchestra were on stage, they deserved the limelight as much as the actors. Steve had certainly worked the company hard as they had a considerable number of songs to learn, the harmonies were well heard and the soloists were perfect. The whole company should be really please with their performance for this celebratory concert, from the youngest to the eldest person on stage, a happy show shown through all your smiles although also tinged with sadness with the so recent loss of the lovely Tricia Glaves who was so proud of you all.

A very big well done, here's to your next milestone in 2051, thank you for inviting me to share in the celebrations of your 125th Anniversary. By the way there was a most informative and well-written programme.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.