Youth Operetta Group -Reunion Song Book

The nature of youth theatre groups is that their membership covers a fairly narrow age range. This is inevitably results in the friendships  made in these formative years together with the skills you learn remaining with you for  rest of your life .With this mix it is inevitable that reunions take place . Rachel Brady reminded the YOGerts’ in 2013 that it was their 40th year and thought it would be great to have such a reunion. It took Mark Thorburn and many others two years to bring it to fruition.

The programme says it all describing the occasion as a unique theatrical event performed by a cast of past members featuring 60 musicals and the 10 songbooks presented since 1972. The event also celebrates those who have made the transfer to the professional theatre, many of whom featured in this celebration concert. The printed programme is far more than a mere  programme, It is a history book, a biography of former members as well as listing the items to be performed with their soloists. There is a detailed history of YOG from 1972 with, from 1982 a thumbnail of each year and performances through to date when the current YOGerts performed Phantom of the Opera. If you ever needed a treatise on why youth theatre is important to our communities, this is it..   .

The cast , being drawn from YOGerts from all over the UK and indeed the world  meant that traditional rehearsals were impossible however combining the mysticism of facebook, internet, u-tube and dropbox  all were able to receive rehearsal material and learn their part wherever they were and in whatever time-zone they lived. The full company only coming together on the Friday before the Concerts on Saturday and Sunday. A fact that was not apparent from the performances.

Words cannot do justice to the superb presentation of sound and movement involving some 70 former and current members of YOG , including some of those who have gone on to make a name for themselves in the West End and elsewhere such as Ashley Nottingham, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Matt Wing, Tracey Shield, Darren Carnall and Mark Rattray . A concert starting with One Voice and then using material from every show presented . For me, every number deserves a mention, but space does not allow for this, and I would need a video to do it justice.  We were treated to  a super tap number with  Darren Carnall and Ashley Nottingham   then there was One Day More from Les Miserable with YOG’s honorary member Dave Willetts . The current YOG sang a brief excerpt from their recent production of Phantom of the Opera reminding   us once more of the talent and depth of the Youth Operetta Group both past and present.

The standing ovation was truly deserved.

mth 

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