Lights, Camera, Broadway!

Bournville Musical Theatre Company and Routh Concert Hall made a wonderful combination for an evening of songs from stage and screen.

The ‘running order sheet’ was given on arrival showing the songs to be performed. This showed right from the get-go the wide range of numbers heading our way. Some very popular songs and some I had not heard of. I was pleased to see on the footer of page one the new NODA logo. NODA – For every Stage (this was just one week after it was launched!).

The whole performance was well choreographed during the musical numbers. These were clearly well-rehearsed with good movement to the rhythm of the song with some excellent conclusions. The only entrances onto stage were a door up stage left and another upstage right, therefore no wings. Entrances on and off were also well choreographed to ensure the show flowed.

 

The band under the leadership of Chris Corcoran consisted of keyboard, bass guitar and drums. Although small, the sound quality was pleasing and it was evident Chris had worked hard ensuring good arrangements were in place.

Now to look at some of the actual pieces performed – here is the problem in writing this up. No weak links so what not to cover? My apologies here and now for those I miss.

Some of the many highlights were:

Opening with Sister Act – which was fabulous baby with two excellent numbers, Bless our Show (great idea for opening number) and Raise Your Voice with Clare Dunne and Kristal Malin playing the part of Deloris Van Cartier.

This was followed by a great performance of Easy Street from Annie with Caroline Meade, Phil Snowe and Viv Morrison as Lily, Rooster and Miss Hannigan.

A popular choice currently for amateur groups is The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Jess Truslove-Locke did not disappoint with her rendition of God Help the Outcasts. Hopefully one day amateurs will be able to perform Moulin Rouge but in the hands of Dan Guzman, Pete Holmes, Greg Boughton and Ellie Wallace-Howell we were treated to a taster.

The first unknown show for me was from The Notebook Leave the Lights On sung by Stuart McDiarmid. This was later followed by Therapy tick, tick  . . . BOOM! by Meg Donovan and Reece Bushell. They were both sung well and made me listen to them again at home. Who knows maybe I will see both shows at some point in the future – thanks for the introductions.

Back to some more well-known songs and two favourites from Rogers and Hammerstein. Firstly I have Confidence and Some Enchanted Evening from The Sound of Music and South Pacific. Lily Moore as Maria and Randy Johnson as Emile both had wonderful voices for these iconic songs.

Solos in the first act included great vocals from Chloe Turner with Don’t Rain On My Parade from Funny Girl and When You’re Good to Mama from Chicago by Jill Hughes.

Can You Feel The Love Tonight from Lion King  had great harmony performed by Pete Holmes, Dan Guzman, Phil Snowe, Greg Boughton, Caroline Meade, Meg Donovan, Lottie Flynn and Kristal Malin.

The act concluded with Mary Poppins with numbers by Viv Morrison, Lottie Flynn and Stuart McDiarmid.

Act two. A great start to the proceedings with the Ballad of Sweeney Todd comprising the whole company. This was a tantalising introduction to BMTC’s next show in May 2025 – sounded great so we should be in for a treat when the whole show is performed.

As within the first act the quality was high throughout. Not least from Lottie Flynn with Times Are Hard from Amélie and I Know It’s Today from Shrek by Tay Noronha- Hall, Meg Donovan and Elli Bruce.  

Solos performed in the two act were popular with the audience and received the applause they deserved. With One Look from Sunset Boulevard by Siobhan Ganley, Watch What Happens from Newsies by Rhian Clements and One Moment in Time from The Bodyguard by Rachel Fox.

Together Again was suitability zany performed by Josh Goodwin and Dan Guzman from Young Frankenstein.

The finale included a song from one of my favourite musicals The Prince of Egypt. The wonderful song When You Believe with Clare Dunne, Rhian Clements and Tay Noronha for me concluded a superb evening.  

Other songs included I’ve Got a Dream from Tangled, Love Thy Neighbour from Prom very well performed by Adam Slack with the ensemble, which was another first for me, Suddenly Seymour, Little Shop of Horrors, Apex Predator from the currently popular Mean Girls and Stuck from Groundhog Day.

In conclusion well done to all involved in ‘Lights, Camera, Broadway’. So what is next for Bournville MTC well as mentioned earlier it’s the amazing Sweeney Todd, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim coming to The Crescent Theatre in May 2025.

Andy Brown

Regional Councillor NODA West Midlands

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