Flaherty & Ahrens and Jerome Kern

Whilst the music of Jerome Kern is well known I have to admit that of Stephen Flaherty who most often works in collaboration with lyricist Lynn Ahrens, was less well known to me. But full marks to Wymsical Theatre for expanding the knowledge of the talented ‘Encore’ group and me, in a cross section of their numbers.

The concert opened with a strong company number of Flaherty & Ahrens’ title song from their stage musical ‘Ragtime’ followed equally strongly by Emma Sinden and Morgan Wolseley Charles’ rendition of ‘Rita’s Confession’ from ‘Lucky Stiff’.

Emily Kitkat gave us ‘At the Glen’ with feeling and Lucy Allsop sang Jerome Kern’s ‘The Way you look tonight’ with great sweetness. It is difficult to mention all the soloists for they equipped themselves well but I would mention Clara Davies and Ruby Davies version of ‘Long Ago and Far Away’ and the poise and feeling expressed by Eddie Thomas in ‘Love who you Love’.

Molly Hill, Charlotte Pye, Grace Price and Kirsten Campbell - Ferguson were joined by the company in ‘Once Upon a December’ from Anastasia and Ellie Morris and Sylvie Symons sang with great tone and expression in the final company number from Kern’s musical Showboat, ‘Can’t Help Loving That Man’.

The company of 28 were smartly dressed in black and accompanied on piano by Stephen Watkins with choreography by Britt Needham and effective overall direction by Richard Taylor.

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