Colours of Christmas

You know its Christmas when The Great Horton Theatre Company present their annual Christmas Show. This year it was titled The Colours of Christmas and supported the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

As always, the show was led and compared by John Mason who ensured despite a couple of slip ups to both the choir and audiences’ amusement the show flowed well from beginning to end not only introducing the numbers but also giving the audience an excellent description of background and context. The musical director Rosie Walsh had done a marvellous job of putting together a wide and varied programme consisting of Christmas, modern and classical music. The harmonies were excellent and what always makes a good Christmas carol for me is a great descant line in the last verse and chorus of such carols such as Oh Come all Ye Faithful, opened by Bob Crackles in Latin, excellent idea and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Rosie had put this in place this wonderful descant line and when the electric piano changed to full blown organ if I had closed my eyes I would have been transported from St Winifrede’s Church Hall to the Royal Albert. It was great that the audience could join in on these carols and others.

Other highlights of the afternoon were Val Crosgrove singing with great gusto “Sing” and the tribute given to Elaine Zyla by her long-standing friend Audrey O’Keefe who sang “IN My Life”. It was beautiful. Congratulations also to Janet Carron for “A Cradle in Bethlehem”, Karen Priestley “The Closest Thing to Crazy”, Richard Bentley “Whisky in the Jar” and Rosie for her rendition of “Sleigh Ride” on flute. The finale part of the show consisted of the choir singing “O Holy Night” and “Do You Hear What I Hear” and if you are taking requests for 2024, please do these again as they were outstanding.

A final mention has to go to Richard and the annual quiz always fun to take part but I must admit devasted when getting 23 out of 24 only to find out that we were beaten by someone with 24 out of 24 maybe I will win the world cruise next year!

Thank you Great Horton Theatre Company for your, as always, wonderful hospitality and a fantastic afternoons entertainment.

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