Mix Match Love

Side by Side are back at the SideSpace....that was the start of an email I received from Artistic director Sue Wallin in May, inviting me to a socially distanced concert called Mix Match Love.

I had not seen Side by Side perform before; even so, I just knew the company had something tremendous to offer and I was very excited to see them perform and be part of an audience again.

I was only in post for a few weeks as the newly appointed District 8 representative for the West Midlands before the first lockdown, so being invited to my first concert of 2021 seemed a little surreal but the evening soon reminded me with a bang what the world had been missing with the absence of theatre and performance art.

The concert ran for just over an hour and it was such a pleasure, it made me feel totally at peace and present and I was totally invested in each and every individual and group performance.

The actors created a wonderful atmosphere and being socially distanced actually provided a new dynamic to the evening which personally I think made the actors stand out more and enhanced some of the more heart-warming moments.

Being able to hold an individual space and entertain, interact, observe, listen and still appear natural and together was the companies greatest achievement in this unique concert. I personally enjoyed the excellent story-telling, the confident movement and the impressive piece of music recognised by Phantom of the Opera fans (Music of the Night) performed by the company with bells!

Thank you for such a wonderful evening.

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