An A to Z of Music

This concert was a complete change for Tees Valley with not a trace of any Gilbert & Sullivan music in the programme.  The church was set out in café style with tables and chairs set around the room and the cast, with the ladies looking very attractive in evening dresses and the men in plain white shirts and black trousers, standing behind  brightly decorated music stands at the front of the church.

We were treated to a very varied programme of music using no less than 19 letters of the alphabet, with many popular numbers ,including some well-known and some not so well-known.  This company has a strong reputation for excellent chorus singing and this concert was no exception, with strong performances including ‘Bridge Over Troubled Waters’, ‘Kumbaya’,  and ‘Thank You For the Music’, and among others a wonderful rendition of ‘You Raise Me Up’.

Comedy was provided by Alistair Bolton and Jorgen Palm, who gave us Andy and Jim who by day were Kwik Fit Fitters and by night Slim and Randy who gave us their hilarious version of Line Dancing.  The first half was ended with what for me was the highlight of the show. I like nothing better than to hear good music sung well, and this was an exceptional rendition of the Easter Hymn from ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ with solo by Lisa Harding, which just made my evening.

 Six of the ladies gave a hilarious performance of the WI Song a la ‘Calendar Girls’, including the typical garb of Women’s Institute ladies, which had the audience in stitches.  David Beall kept the whole company under control, and accompanist Nicola Tayler was superb.

There were other wonderful solos and duets which unfortunately space does not permit me to include individually, but, together with a very good buffet in the interval, provided a lovely evening’s entertainment for the audience.

Well done Tees Valley G & S, and here’s to the next show in October

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.