Simply Musicals

This could be the shortest show report on record – “Stupendous.”

You want more? This group who are fast making a name for themselves as vocally one of the best groups in the region; and not only vocally – I can’t remember who said ‘You act with your face’ (perhaps it was me?) but this fine group of almost forty performers weren’t merely singing the songs, they ‘performed’ them, added life to them – the audience shared their emotions, passions, sadness, happiness…

The production team of MD (Stephanie Kay) - who had obviously drilled the group vocally to the n’th degree – and Director (Rosie Ramsey) had melded to create something special.

An eclectic mix of songs from the musicals – some singular that I had never heard of (but loved nevertheless - “Kathy and Stella’s Murder Podcast” – look it up it seems like an absolute hoot), many medleys of ‘A’ list shows such as ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’, ‘Being Alive’, ‘Jekyll and Hyde’, ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ and ‘Wicked’.

Being medley’s the numbers blended into each other, and I felt it a great tragedy that some soloists were not afforded the time to receive the applause their performances merited. No more so than “No one but You (Only the Good die Young)” from the Queen medley. This number performed with such emotion by ‘Sally’ was truly outstanding and set the scene for equally superb renditions later.

There was a lot of humour to be found in the ways the songs were performed – I loved “Drive a person Crazy” with the slightly off beat ‘boops’ by Di; also, the expertly timed and delivered “Hello” from ‘Book of Mormon.’

“Jekyll and Hyde” is such an underperformed show, yet such a wonderful one and one of the highlights of the second act were ‘Andrew’ leading on “Facade” and ‘David’ on “This is the Moment.”

Anyone that knows me knows I absolutely adore ‘Wicked’ and ‘Grace’ (“No one Mourns the Wicked”); ‘Charlie’ and ‘Hope’ (“What is this Feeling”); ‘Andrew’, ‘Michael’ and ’Nicolle’ (“Dancing through life”) and ‘Sally’ (“Defying Gravity”) blew the roof of the wonderful Pier Pavilion in the finale.

All this would be for naught without the sympathetically delivered music by Jonny, Andrew, Stuart, and David.

Each performer played their part, whether principal, ensemble, choreography, direction, band or lighting and sound (which were excellent) up to and including the welcome received by front of house helpers.

I repeat – I could have saved time and just said “Stupendous.”

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