All That Jazz

Thank you for the invitation to see Kinver Light Operatic Society (KLOS) in concert and thank you for the warm hospitality of Phillipa Hickinbottom and Peter Mills throughout the evening.

It was brilliant to be back in the theatre again as part of a live audience and this was my first experience of KLOS as the new NODA District 8 representative for the West Midlands. KLOS were a joy to watch. Not only did the company perform a high-quality evening but the genuine love and friendship bounced off the stage in abundance and this made the evening so special.

The show was very well produced and directed by Sam Houlston and Musical Director Nina Best who also performed excellently in the show. The selection of songs from musicals was excellently chosen.

The stage was simple but effective, the lights and sound worked well and the evening was driven and complimented with the banter of the hosts Brian Ashmead-Siers and Claire Jackson who contributed to the overall passion and fun of the evening. This double act had an entertaining pace and at times it felt like I was watching an award ceremony. The hosts were a nice touch and they were perfect for the job.

The well thought out and entertaining programme included some instant classics as you would expect and these did not disappoint, but there were a few surprises which interested me.

All of the song choices gave an opportunity to show off the talent and range of voices with some members of the company having their moment to shine, each song choice suited each member’s voice and each song was performed with commitment and fun. The majority of the songs were also perfectly accompanied by a strong supporting ensemble of singers and there were some nicely choreographed dance numbers too; the energy and smiles of every single member in the company and the professionalism of certain members shone through, only a couple of occasions when things appeared not to go exactly to plan, this was easily overlooked as the company took their stride and dealt with it with a laugh and quick thinking from stage management. The audience were on board and supportive and so was I.

Some personal highlights (in no particular order at all) included the song, And You Don’t Even Know It from the show “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” performed by James Bishop which was so enjoyable, and when Jennie Wall entered into the song and took the stage with her playful swagger the song was cemented as an instant hit.

The song Six from the musical of the same name was a wonderful choice and again some strong performances from the six company members who delivered it with a confident “Girls Aloud” vibe with Courtney Fletcher-Boden, Olivia Higley, Maddy Hickinbottom, Sophie Bishop, Georgie Hand and Emma Davies. Not being overly familiar with the musical Six, this was the one song which I was humming all the way home; apart from a cheeky bit of “Take That” which was thrown in with Never Forget from the musical “The Band” and a special mention to Joe Hall here. This song totally won the audience over with a massive smile and some jigging and again a great choice.

The song from “The Prince of Eqypt” When you Believe was simply beautiful and of course a mention to Poppy Bowles, the youngest member of KLOS who had already stolen the hearts of the audience with her performance in Never Forget but then stole the hearts again with her performance in this song. Maddy Hickinbottom and Amy Danks also impressed in this song.

The stride the company had was infectious and it remained positive and strong throughout the evening; when Chas James started singing Get Ready from “Motown the Musical” I thought the evening surely couldn’t get any better, and then Rebecca Lydon threw her powerful and utterly brilliant voice in the mix.

The performance of One Day More with the excellent Ricky Dowell was another highlight. Ricky’s presence totally dominated that song and stage.

The evening ended with Proud Mary and this is one of my all-time favourite songs. It was performed excellently and with style; how it should be! I was relieved but in retrospect I should have known the song was in good hands.

A very moving and heartfelt tribute to KLOS member Jean Mills who passed away in September 2020 was also a big highlight of the evening, with a performance of one of Jean’s favourite songs, Climb Every Mountain from “The Sound of Music” performed by Sarah Fullwood.

It is without a doubt that Jean was (and still is) a much valued and loved member of KLOS who left a strong impression within the company.

There were opportunities to highlight the future for KLOS which also came across tastefully throughout the night, with the main notice being the next big show, which will be Sister Act on 10th-14th May 2022 at Kinver High School Theatre leading to a sneak preview to whet the appetite of one of the songs from the show which was performed by Nina Best, Phillipa Bishop, Claire Bowles and Sophie Bishop; this certainly sparked further genuine interest in the company and I am looking forward to seeing this. A musical I have not seen before but one that I am sure to enjoy.

Thank you once again for the opportunity to share the evening with you. KLOS are talented but most of all they are a family, this was observed on stage and throughout the evening. Members are nurtured and supported, recognised and given the opportunity to show what they are made of.

A wonderful evening. See you soon.

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