Aida

I really enjoy seeing a new production and one I’ve never seen before and AIDA was no exception. With words and music by Tim Rice and Sir Elton John respectively how could it fail to entertain the audience.

Based on the Giuseppe Verdi’s opera of the same name, it tells the story of love and betrayal and a love triangle between a Nubian princess Aida, an Egyptian Princess Amneris and a soldier they both love ,Ramades.

The principal’s voices were almost ‘pure’ with vocals written in such a way that there was no place to hide, every word and syllable needed to be clearly heard.

STC were lucky to have a large cast including many talented men, not to be taken as a negative but the similar costumes made it very difficult at times to recognise the individual characters so the audience really had to concentrate when there were numerous people on stage. I am lucky enough to know many of the cast and even I had to constantly look in the programme to check and try to remember their characters names.

The absolute Star of the show for me was Aida played superbly throughout by Charley Branson, I could not believe this was her first lead but I’m sure it won’t be her last.

The camaraderie and enjoyment of the cast on stage shone through throughout many of the large ensemble numbers & justifiably during the bows where I understand a few tears were often shed especially on the final performance.

There were many memorable musical numbers, so many I had to listen to them again on numerous occasions on line.

I would like to pass my congratulations to the tried and tested production team on this well cast production and I am very much looking forward to “Half A Sixpence “  

Thank you once again for the kind invitation to this very professional production,       

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