Musicality 30

CODYS Productions turned 30 this year and what better way to celebrate than with a compilation of songs from shows they have performed throughout those 30 years! Musicality 30 was performed in St John’s United Reformed Church, a space which contains only a small stage; however, the production used a section of the floor too which worked well for their large cast of 32. The show featured a wide variety of solos, duets and quartets, along with full ensemble numbers, a structure that gave everyone the opportunity to showcase their talent. Throughout the production, there was no use of set, but they did not need it. The energy from the cast along with their incredible acting through song was enough to set the scenes. The same can be said for costumes, with all the cast dressed in black with branded t-shirts for the show. All characterisation was portrayed solely through acting, one of the strongest elements of this production.

The show opened with “Jacob & Sons” from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, while this was not technically one of the strongest numbers it certainly started the show on a high in terms of energy. We were treated to a lovely performance of Whistle Down the Wind with very strong vocals, accompanied by impressive choreography. Also from Whistle Down the Wind, “No Matter What” was performed in Act 1. The solos at the beginning of this number were good, and when the ensemble joined (with the addition of some darker lighting) this was brilliant. The harmonies were spot on.

For me, the strongest dance number in Act 1 was “Footloose”, a large ensemble number with everyone giving their all. This was a well choreographed number by members of the cast – a great job for such a large group!

There were 2 standout numbers in Act 1 for me. “Consider Yourself” was absolutely bursting at the seems with energy and characterisation, never dropping for a moment in such a long number. Every element of this was performed very well, with impressive choreography and vocals. And “Bui Doi” – wow! This was the perfect end for Act 1 with some beautiful harmonies.

Act 2 came with just as much energy, opening with “Taking Over the Hall” from Wind in the Willows. The character work was brilliant, and it was a truly feel-good number. I feel the pace of the show slowed down in Act 2 with there being more ballads than in Act 1, however this is just an observation and was not to the detriment of the production. A great addition to the second act was “Electricity” with good vocals and outstanding movement from 2 of the cast. The pair moved together very well and were strong dancers throughout the whole show featuring in most of the numbers. “On My Own/I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables was performed as a quartet with very simple staging to pull the focus towards the vocals. This was performed beautifully by the 4 girls, they have obviously worked hard on the harmonies for this number, and it really paid off. The show closed with “Don’t Stop Believing”, with solos being performed by a large number of the cast. This was a great number to end the show, and I must say I was impressed by the cast managing to keep in time when the audience weren’t clapping along in time!

I must give a special mention to “Memory” from Cats, a captivating performance both in terms of vocals and choreography. This was a pleasure to watch. As was “Think Of Me” from Phantom of the Opera, such powerful vocals from a young performer!

The sound throughout the production was generally strong, however there did seem to be some issues with one of the microphones in Act 2 which gave feedback in several moments. There were only 4 handheld microphones used during the whole show, these were often passed between soloists and they did so seamlessly. A lot of planning and blocking has obviously gone into this, and it worked very well.

Director, Nick Cupit, has done a great job with this production, especially working with the cast on acting through song and characterisation. They had clear direction and purpose at all times. Musically, the show was very strong. The harmonies for such a young group of performers were brilliant – well done to the cast and to Musical Director, Emily Woodward. One of the most impressive elements of this production was the choreography. Head Choreographer, Laura Cupit, was responsible for the staging of the larger ensemble numbers, but the majority of the more intricate choreography was down to members of the cast.

This was a truly enjoyable show, with a great selection of songs! CODYS have a lot of talented young performers with a wide range of abilities, and they all got their time to shine which was a pleasure to watch. I’d like to thank them for their kind invite to the show and wish them the best of luck with their next production, Fame Jr, in July 2026.

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