Bound To Be A Cracker

This was my first NODA visit to a live performance since March 2020 and it was a real pleasure to sit back and enjoy such an uplifting concert. It was obvious too that the cast in their cheerful Christmas jumpers were delighted to be back performing, occasionally visibly emotional indicating just how much being back on stage meant to them.

The programme was a mixture of Christmas songs and favourite numbers taken from their CD produced earlier in the year. Showcase ensemble work is always excellent with musical numbers enhanced by some wonderful arrangements by David McFarlane for both voice and the small effective orchestra supporting the singers. I particularly enjoyed the arrangements for ‘Deck The Hall’ and the chorus backing in the powerful ‘This Is The Moment.’ The ‘Showcase Sound’ is perhaps at its very best in their poignant numbers ‘He Aint Heavy (He’s My Brother),’ ‘Mr.Blue Sky’ and ‘Bridge Over Troubled Waters’ as examples.

A real festive atmosphere was created with the rousing ‘Step Into Christmas’, ’Wombling Merry Christmas’, and ‘All I Want For Christmas’ to name but a few.

The very relaxed ‘Green Green Grass of Home’ was a hit with the audience and ‘Losing My Mind’, a tribute to Stephen Sondheim who died earlier in the week, was beautiful. This was a programme with a combination of fun numbers, serious ballads and some very sensitive numbers sung sincerely by this fine chorus and excellent soloists.. The final few numbers ‘Star Maker’,‘(Something Inside) So Strong’, and ‘Love And Mercy’ are always emotive no matter how often they are heard and a real reminder of what Showcase is all about. Despite missing out on their main concerts for the last couple of years, the company has still managed to hand over a cheque for £10,000 to McMillan. This was raised by sales of their CD and also by individual challenges by members of the cast raising their total to well over £312,000 donated to McMillan over the last 31 years.

This cheerful, fun and heart warming concert was compered by Andy Johnston with his usual quips and witticism.

A thoroughly enjoyable evenings entertainment .

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