Lerner, Loewe & Lloyd-Webber

Lerner, Loewe & Lloyd-Webber a concert staged by Wigan Musical Theatre Group at St Michael’s Parish Hall, Shaw Street, Wigan on Thursday, 10th September, 2024

Lerner, Loewe & Lloyd-Webber …three names synonymous with the writing of legendary musicals.‘Lerner and Loewe’ … a partnership between lyricist and librettist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe that spanned three decades. Their successes included ‘My Fair Lady’, ‘Brigadoon’, ‘Camelot’, ‘Gigi’ and the cowboy classic ‘Paint Your Wagon’. They met by accident in New York City, when Loewe took a wrong turn on his way to the bathroom, call it fate! Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber is an English born composer and impresario who was ‘knighted’ in 1992. His list of musicals is endless including ‘Joseph’, ‘Evita’, ‘Cats’, ‘Phantom of the Opera’, Aspects of Love, ‘Sunset Boulevard’, ‘Whistle Down the Wind’, ‘School of Rock’ and ‘Cinderella’. His credits include six Tony’s, seven Olivier’s, three Grammy’s, an Academy Award, fourteen Ivor Novello’s, a Golden Globe, a Brit Award, and many more ... a true living legend!  Looking
at the list of successes … we were in for an absolute treat … were we to be disappointed … hardly!

Production Team … John Clinton (Director), Joan Bond (Musical Director), Emily Fenton, John Clinton and Carol Smith (Choreographers) were the ones chosen to ‘select and bring to stage’ songs from some of those classics… how did you choose? I’d like to take this opportunity to wish Joan Bond a speedy recovery! Joan, a legend here at WMTG started the rehearsal process for this concert, but, due to unforeseen circumstances, sadly wasn’t able to be involved in the actual concerts, get well soon! Standing in for Joan we had the ever so experienced Linda Scott, who did a fabulous job!  

The Cast … Christine Armstrong (‘Special Mention’ - our narrator, who was hilariously funny throughout the entire evening, keeping us abreast of ‘things’ and the running order ahahahahaha, loved it Christine). Lucy Bache, Jess Lloyd, Cara Bullock, Gwen Charnock, Hazel Dobson, Julie Edwards, Emily Fenton, Val Hodges, Carol Smith, Ann Ellen Fazackerley, Sophie Harrison, Clare Hodkinson, Sandy Kershaw, Emma Morris, Georgina Morris, Bernie Murphy, Louise Osmond, Joyce Ratcliffe, Lisa Rignall, Maria Rignall, Elizabeth Wallwork, John Clinton, Clive Green, Ian Hollis, Robert Kenyon, Brian Middlehurst, Aiden Miners and Josh Robinson.

The Concert … staged in two acts…
Act One songs from the Lerner and Loewe Library… first set from the musical Gigi …
i)  ‘Paris is Paris Again’ ii) ‘The Night they Invented Champagne’ ... The ‘company’ took us on a trip to Paris and plied us with champagne.. great songs, sung ever so well
iii) Then Aiden introduced us to ‘Gigi’ … an introduction we won’t forget
iv) Oh and ‘I Remember it Well’ … two voices that blended together ever so well, thanks to Maria and Clive  
From Paris to Camelot
i)   The Full Company told us with passion about life in ‘Camelot’
ii)  Robert told us ‘If Ever I Would Leave You’ then I’d leave you with this song, that he sung ever so well
iii) ‘How To Handle a Woman’ … it’s a brave man that try’s Clive - amazing vocals, think you got away with it!
From a castle to the highlands of Scotland and Brigadoon
i)   Full company sang the title track… ‘Brigadoon’ which they made a good job of!
ii)  But Aiden wanted to ‘Go Home with Bonnie Jean’ – not sure Jean was to keen, but good try Aiden!
iii) Cara and Robert then took us rolling in the ‘Heather on the Hill’, a song sung with great feeling
iv) Maria and Josh suggested it was ‘Almost Like Being in Love’ … if you say so… we loved it anyway!
We left Brigadoon to ‘Paint Your Wagon’ wasn’t sure why, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience…
i)   Men’s Chorus asked us to follow a ‘Wanderin Star’, we did whilst they knocked it out the park
ii)  Clive then suggested ‘I Talk to the Trees’ – with vocals like that, we should all talk to them!
iii) Robert ‘Called the Wind Maria’ … wasn’t sure if it was the wind or the vocals that almost took the roof off!
With the wagon painted … it was off to find ‘My Fair Lady’
i)   Emily and the Company suggested ‘Wouldn’t it be Loverly’ to sing this as well as we did!
ii)  Ian and the company just hoped, ‘With a Little Bit of Luck’ they would do as good as Emily did + they did!
iii)  Why did Sandy, Clive and Aiden tell us about ‘The Rain in Spain’ … we liked it though, very much!
iv)  Lucy, a little damp after all that rain in Spain, suggested ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ just to dry off…
v)  But John wasn’t bothered about rain or dancing, he just said ‘Get Me To The Church on Time’ great song!

Act Two … Lloyd-Webber classics… Jesus Christ Superstar is where we started…
i)   With some great vocals and acting, Josh and the company told us all about this ‘Superstar’
ii)   Maria told us that ‘I don’t know how to love him’ … but she almost brought the house down trying!
iii)  Ian then took us to a dark place with his ‘Herod’s Song’…
From Heaven to Argentina just to meet Evita …
i)  Sandy suggested that we ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’… but I think many of us did!
ii) When the Rignall Girls found ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall… things couldn’t have got much better!
Cats… I’m allergic to ‘Cats’, thankfully I was sat at the back…
i)  But then Gwen and Emily nudged my ‘Memory’ … I’d taken my antihistamine, so I’d be OK … loved it!
ii) Aiden told us that ‘Mr Mistofeles’ had uncontrollable magical powers … as did the vocals to this song
Having survived the Cats we arrived on Sunset Boulevard …
i)  Josh whilst strolling along ‘Sunset Boulevard’ told us, through some great vocals, all about the place
ii)  With more great vocals, Clare suggested we come back anytime… ‘As if We Never Said Goodbye’
We’ve had the wind before... but this time we’re told to ‘Whistle down the Wind’
i)  Emily showed us how to whistle from the ‘Vaults of Heaven’ … it really was heavenly!
ii) Lisa and the Company told Emily and us all, how to ‘Whistle Down the Wind’ - sounded fabulous!
Don’t be ‘whistling’ at Cinderella …
i) Cinderella is a ‘Bad Cinderella’ and although Lucy sounded fabulous… we needed to be warned!
If Cinderella suggests going to the Opera, be on your guard for a masked man who is ‘The Phantom’
i) If Georgina is ‘Wishing You Were Somewhere Here Again’ with amazing vocals and great aplomb, just …
ii) Be warned about the ‘Music of the Night… which Josh sung to perfection leaving us all wanting more!
And we got it … when we were told about the ‘Aspects of Love’ …
i) The Full Company, with great togetherness, told us that ‘Love Changes Everything’, and it does!

Never one to sit on the fence, this is where I usually select MY favourite songs and performances … but it's difficult to start suggesting ‘someone was better than someone else’ when you see everyone on stage giving their all… there’s very little more you can ask… BUT I will ‘stick my neck out, just a little’… they say leave the best till last… and it happened again tonight!  Just loved the two pieces from ‘Phantom’  both sung with effortless ease by Georgina Morris and Josh Robinson. Thought the ‘acting’ by Josh from the start of ‘Music of the Night’ to its conclusion was just fabulous… be very proud both of you… great job! Just before I move on… can I just mention two young ladies who I felt embodied everything that I believe Wigan Musical Theatre Group stand for!  These two ladies, in Act One, were stood on the front row of the ensemble… one either side of the stage dressed in beautiful red dresses.  The smiles emanating from their faces, the warmth from their eyes told you everything about what they were feeling … it was heartwarming. They didn’t sing a solo or a duet… but their enjoyment just oozed across those footlights.  I’ve made some enquiries and I believe these ladies to be Elizebeth Wallwork and Jess Lloyd… thank you ladies … those smiles just summed up what I believe ‘amateur theatre’ is all about ... enjoyment, passion and friendship … be proud ladies!
 
The Band … led wonderfully well by Linda Scott (MD) (Keyboard), Kevin Bates (Bass) and Nick Woods (Drums) … provided us with a great sound and accompanied the cast ever so well

Stage/Set/Tech… the ever-present Shelia Cleary (Stage Manager) and her crew … Louise Butterfield, Christine Armstrong, Maria Rignall, Clive Green and more, did a great job keeping things moving on stage.
Sound/Lighting… Clive Green, Peter Wallwork, Andrea Connell, Cath Stockley and Mark Fenton did a good job, this isn’t the easiest of venues to get sound and lighting just right ... well done each and all.

Thank you so much for inviting me, sorry my wife wasn’t able to attend. I thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Thanks to Francis Cheetham for looking after me throughout and for feeding me ‘Victoria Sponge’… always appreciated.  Look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Stay Safe, Keep Well…
Stronger Together
Jim Briscoe
NODA NW … District 6 Rep 

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