Once Upon a Stage

What an enjoyable evening I had at the Carnegie Theatre watching the Maryport Juniors perform their concert, Once Upon a Stage.

The show opened with the full company performing Barnum, and what an opening it was! It was lively, fast-paced, and bursting with energy.

This flowed straight into I'm Getting Married in the Morning, performed by the boys' group, before Ella Peers took to the stage with the first solo of the evening, Killer Instinct. Ella delivered lovely vocals and gave a confident performance.

Next came a brilliant duet from Max McAllister and Rhys Kirkbride, who performed You and Me. They worked wonderfully together and gave a thoroughly enjoyable performance.

The full company then returned with a lively rendition of The Ol' Bamboo, followed by another excellent solo from Frankie Featherstone, who sang I Can't Say No with great confidence.

Max McAllister then led the company in the powerful anthem Do You Hear the People Sing? from Les Misérables. As the rest of the cast joined him, the performance became even more moving and impactful.

I also really enjoyed I Know It's Today from Shrek, beautifully performed by Penny Murphy, Emmie Gregg, and Miya Goodwin.

The first act concluded with The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾, performed by the full company, bringing the act to an entertaining finish.

The second act opened with the energetic Joseph Megamix, performed by the full company, which immediately got the audience back into the spirit of the show.

Ruby Pattinson then gave a lovely performance of Home from Beauty and the Beast.

I could go on naming every song and every performer, but I would be writing all day! However, there are a couple of performances that deserve a special mention.

Firstly, Sophie Copeland's rendition of Tomorrow from Annie was simply lovely. The way the full company joined her on stage made the performance even more powerful.

Secondly, Chiara Galloni-Hodgson performed I Got Rhythm from Crazy for You. Not only did she sing beautifully, but she also showcased some wonderful tap dancing, making it one of the standout moments of the evening.

I must also mention all of the narrators, whose clear voices and confident introductions kept the show flowing smoothly. You were all excellent.

Finally, I would like to applaud the entire cast. Every one of you performed brilliantly, with smiling faces, strong voices, and endless enthusiasm. You put on a fantastic show that was thoroughly appreciated by everyone in the audience.

A very big well done to everyone involved.

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