Broadway Bucket List

Cabaret style seating was used for this concert by St Dunstan’s with all tables facing towards the stage. Act one started with Hello! from The Book of Mormon performed by the whole company - it was done with the cast all wearing black and white which was very effective visually. The sound on this opening number was a little unbalanced and quite loud, but people in the audience were taking advantage of the cabaret style seating and still moving about and going to the bar. We were introduced to the various numbers by two comperes, they had a very comfortable way with each other and fed each other lines and cues well.

Nick Butterworth performed the iconic number “Stars” from Les Miserables – he  started  nice and strong, there was a slight wobble of nerves throughout but he gave a pleasant performance. Stella O`Reilly treated us to “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music and it genuinely was a treat - the orchestra sounded superb and beautifully backed Stella, she was able to convey all the emotion within the song and I was touched by her performance. Musical Director John G Barry put his own slant on “Bring Him Home” from Les Miserables, it was only the ladies that sang and he had written in extra harmonies throughout the number, it made it fresh and interesting, it was an incredibly touching performance and very reminiscent of The Military Wives. The first half of this concert closed with” Colour My World” from Priscilla Queen of The Desert, every single person on the stage was having the time of their life, the sheer joy onstage was infectious and the audience were lapping it up.

The second half got off to a great start with “Friendship” from Anything Goes performed by our hosts Claire and Philip, their performance oozed personality and allowed the audience to relax and enjoy what they were seeing and hearing. Ben Drane wowed us with a strong and intense performance of “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Follies - he delivered strong vocals, engaged the audience and left us wanting more. “Holding Out For a Hero” from Footloose was performed by the ladies with Beth Sharp on lead vocals – the choreography by Jackie Eade really suited the song and the vibe that they were emitting, vocals were strong and everyone looked to be enjoying themselves. “Dreamgirls” from Dreamgirls performed by Phil, Ben and Nick was a standout number for me – it had everything, comedy, strong vocals, great facial expressions and superb timing, an inspired performance – Well done, boys. Sue Milligan brought the house down with her powerful performance of “He's My Boy” from Everybody`s Talking About Jamie. She led a masterclass in vocal control and delivered a very strong performance.

There were a few sound issues and gremlins throughout the show, but I believe it is something to do with the building and it did not detract from the performance or the audiences obvious enjoyment. The lighting was sympathetic to the songs being performed and helped to set the mood, it was lovely to see the haze not overused. Costumes, hair and make up throughout were nicely pared back and let the vocal performances shine through. Myself and my guest enjoyed your performance and I look forward to seeing you all again very soon.

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