All Together Now

It was so nice to be visiting Woodside Hall after such a long break and their Covid compliant organisation worked perfectly. 

The concert, a compilation of fifteen musical numbers chosen by the company from a total of thirty-six was aimed at giving the performers and audience as wide a variety as possible with some songs they were familiar with and some as a new experience.

Justin Thomas, the MD, briefly introduced each number, which the audience found helpful if they were unfamiliar with a particular show. 

The concert started off with Ian Hamilton and Anthea Woodbridge as the soloists in a strong choral rendition of “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and this set the model for an evening of good choral vocals which Hitchin Thespians are so well known for.

“Matchmaker” from Fiddler on the Roof was a firm favourite and Melanie, Philippa and Sarah sang as the three sisters with conviction. I found the click-track a little on the fast side which in turn compromised breath support at times but none the less, enjoyable and a good choice for the three ladies.

“Back to Before” from Ragtime was possibly unfamiliar to most of the audience and Barbara Thomas gave it her all. Not the easiest of numbers, I felt that with a strong vocal ability, there was a need to pull back a little, as on occasion notes seemed a tad forced. Perhaps nerves didn’t help. Relax, you have the ability, enjoy yourself.

“This is the Moment” from Jekyll and Hyde I really enjoyed. Sung with passion, Mike Barker gave us a brief glimpse of the character and who he was. It was a shame he held his musical folder throughout as I felt the without it his performance would really have connected with the audience.  

The next company number was “Spread the Love Around” from Sister Act. Barbara and Sera worked well together, and it was obvious that the company enjoyed this choice. But once again with heads in books following the score, I missed any smiling faces in what is a joyous number.

“Tomorrow” from Annie is a well-known song and well suited to the developing vocals of young soloist Anthea Woodbridge. This young lady has the potential to grow in strength and I look forward to watching her develop her craft. Well done.

“The Human Heart” from Once on this Island, I suspect was largely unknown by most of the audience, but the choral harmonies were on pointe and with Melanie and Philippa leading from the front this choice was very much enjoyed and appreciated by the audience. 

Alison Hudson chose to sing “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Misérables and made a valiant effort to portray the character behind the lyrics. However, I believe once again, nerves took over the performance and breath control and secure top notes were compromised. A shame because facial expression and body language were good.

“Consider Yourself” from Oliver! proved to be a good company number which the audience recognised immediately. There was a good connection with the MD, but I would have enjoyed seeing some movement in the dance break. Otherwise, musical interpretation was good and diction perfect.

“When I Grow Up” from Matilda The Musical was a challenge which I am sure the company enjoyed. The lyrics are often fused together and therefore the ends of words are key. These were lost at times and needed to be crisper. Front liners Sophia, Claudia, Anthea, and Philippa worked well together complementing the company behind them.

“Stop the World” from Come from Away I doubt many of the audience were familiar with at all but what a treat was in stall. James and Sara not only had an immediate connection with each other but with the audience also. There was a real sense of performance here and I loved it. Musicality, intonation, and balance were all delivered well and for me it was the highlight of the evening. Congratulations.

“Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” from My Fair Lady suited Claire Bailes to a tee. This appeared to be a very relaxed and natural delivery, confidently sang and with just a hint of accent it was easy listening at its best. Well done. The male quartet harmonised well but the whistling lacked depth and again the opportunity for a little more movement was lost.

“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins was great fun and soloists Peggy, Caroline and Mike held it together admirably. When singing along to a click track there is always the tendency to get a little carried away and with this number speed got the better of the company. However, the soloists brought the company back online and the final effect was applauded by one and all.

“Beautiful City” from Godspell is a fairly unknown addition to the original score of this musical. Sung on this occasion as a ballade, James Hamilton gave an intensely personal feel to his performance being able to use his whole body to communicate the intensity of his interpretation rather than holding his musical folder in his hands. I enjoyed this rendition very much. A good choice for this tenor.

The final choice for this concert was “Seasons of Love” from Rent. This was a rousing number which allowed the company to show the audience that Covid and all its restrictions had not allowed Hitchin Thespians to become complaisant and that they were indeed back and keen to get on with their beloved hobby.

Thank you for inviting me and for looking after me during the evening.

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