Christmas with the Phoenix Theatre Singers

Before the singers appeared in their smart signature black and red outfits, the mood was set with a backing star cloth and a well decorated Christmas tree. After the opening number ‘ Step into Christmas’, MC Michelle Cooper welcomed everyone warmly and invited all to take mince pies in the interval for donations towards the worthy cause ‘Crisis UK - Help for Homeless’. To exercise our chuckle muscles Emma Lewis gave us the first of her corny but funny Christmas jokes.

After ‘A Christmas Blessing ‘ sang by the company, Kevin Passey sang ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ with a very pleasing voice. Then followed, one of the lesser well-known songs (by me) but a lovely tune, of ‘The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy’ and then the popular ’Sleigh Ride’.

Rita Bingham explained very amusingly how she ‘Gotta Cold for Christmas’ and the Ladies sang a gentle ‘Christmas Lullaby’. Mary Brigg then gave us a very amusing story of ‘A Wayne in a Manger’ and Act 1 was concluded by the singers with John Rutter’s ‘I Wish You Christmas’ and finally an uplifting ‘Amen! Tell It On The Mountain’.  I then had a delicious mince-pie!

After the second of Emma’s Christmas jokes, the Singers bounced back after the interval with ‘Because We Sing’ and a very nice melodic ‘Heal The World’. Jacky Bedford sang a gentle but atmospheric ‘The Coventry Carol’ and after two more songs from the Company, Mary returned and sang ‘All We Need for Christmas is Peace’ with great feeling. The Gentlemen reprised ‘The Twelve Days After Christmas’ which was very funny and Suzanne Hill provided a clever and funny version of ‘Cinderella – the whole panto in 5 minutes!’ playing each role with a different hat.

‘The Birthday of a King’ was then sung by Jacky Bedford and Natalie Smith when I felt their voices blended together well and this was followed by possibly the strongest company number ‘Let There Be Peace’. I‘m sure we would all agree with that. Michelle Cooper then told us to ‘Never Fall in Love (With an Elf) in good voice which was very funny and after ‘Bethlehem’ from Martin Guerre, we were all invited to join in with Noddy Holder’s ‘Merry Christmas, Everybody’.

Once again, a good variety of songs, well-staged with supportive lighting and sound. Thank you, also once again, for the warm welcome from members and I look forward to ‘Love on the Dole’ performed by the Theatre Company next April.

 

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