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After 3 years in the dark, the explosive energy released as the house tabs opened on ‘Rock around the clock’ was amazing as DOSYTCo returned to the stage in their themed summer concert. 7 decades of iconic pop music and stars recognised in this cleverly put-together programme to show off the talents of this youth group back in business.

The production team had worked hard through covid-depleted rehearsals to achieve an amazingly high standard of production. The division into precise groupings and shapes on stage, the rigorous precision of knowing exactly where and when to move, the accuracy of harmonies and the mix of soloists with full company, and the exhausting to watch energy in all those dance and movement activities, all so in time, this is what youth means to amateur theatre and the future.

Clever staging with an imaginative lighting plot totally in tune with the actions. Loved the costumes in their theme of red and black and silver with metallic shine, differing styles for interest rather than the usual concert T-shirts.

With the age-range of 7 to 18 years, and some in their final concert before university as well as first-timers, good divisions in ages for the big dance routines to tape as alternatives to the groups and posed big company numbers, we experienced the exposure of personalised talent plus the premise of the future in the younger and smaller performers. Difficult to pick out every future star by name. Each audience member will have their own favourite in this very mixed list of offerings. Perhaps mine was the harmonies in ‘Bridge over troubled waters’ sung as a composed company number. But against that the energy of Ryan with ‘Jail House Rock’, the projection of Summer with ‘Shout’, and the ‘Hey Jude’ led by Grace remain in the memory from the first half.  What power in delivery from Amerlie leading ‘Edge of Glory’, the great combination of Clarabelle and Bex in ‘Joker and the Queen’, good blend of Liv and Callum in ‘All about you’, ‘Cold heart’ from Jess and Lucy, and Bex with ‘Someone you loved’, the talents maintained the second half well.

This style of production takes more than the standard show with so many numbers to learn musically and movement-wise for all (and not just principals), hard work at rehearsals needed. The overall impressions left awe at the disciplined energy shown on stage, those big company numbers so in time for all small and larger in a display of hard work and talent and enjoyment at the return to the stage after the restrictions.

 

 

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