Coffee & Cocktails

This musical variety show gave an evening of delightful singing. The group have had to work without an MD this year and Terri Lyon has directed, driven and encouraged them all to perform their best. The set opened on a colourful cafe scene with tables and chairs and such is the nature of this small venue, the audience was immediately drawn in. A pacy opening of 42nd Street was fronted by Alison Wright who shortly after charmed with Dream A Little Dream of Me. The ensemble gave us a well harmonised Seasons of Love from “Rent” and California Dreaming. In one of the highlights from the first act, Gillian Gilchrist made a wonderful job of the tricky You’re So Vain and was well matched in the duet Islands in The Stream with Ricky Cassidy. Turning up the heat, Mary Fullerton delivered a feisty We’re In The Money contrasting with Simon Lippman’s more introspective When I Fall In Love. In the second act, a touch of humour with the men in large sombreros and Zapata moustaches danced around Mary’s Hernando’s Hideaway followed by Alan Devlin singing She’s Always a Woman with conviction. Then the men came into their own with the toe tapping She Loves You. Another tricky song A Piece of Sky from “Yentyl” was given its own twist by Ann Pearston. The mood changed in Terri and Gillian’s duet Over and Done With and changed again to a more nostalgic one created by Kevin O’Rawin in When You Say Nothing At All. Moving towards the end, we were taken down memory lane with Save The Last Dance For Me and Our Last Song Together. The evening finished off with everyone in Higher and Higher seeming to come to the audience in waves. Singers working with tracked music instead of real musicians takes a bit of getting used to but all managed it. The songs were varied and carefully choreographed to suit the ensemble. Good lighting and varied costumes, some sparkly, contributed to the show’s ‘coffee and cocktail’ ambience. The audience was most appreciative. Congratulations to all on getting through such a problematic year and getting the job well done.

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