Stage and Screen

What a great way to start a new season of shows with the Advanced Musical Theatre Group of this very talented societies youth stream in a varied and enthralling showcase.

Full credit should be given to the talented production team who really stretch these young people and give them the confidence to not only perform but choreograph and direct certain numbers. The growth in ability and confidence in this group over the last 12 months is amazing and the vocals, choreography and acting required is well above their years.

There were huge dance numbers with very varied routines and the energy was phenomenal. A massive well done to those who had vocal numbers straight after huge routines as nothing was lost in the vocals due to the fitness levels of this cast.

There was a fabulous tap routine at the top of the show with a 42nd Street routine, followed by beautiful vocals from Sophie Thompson on Anything Goes.

Georgia Moth and Rob Ahern acted and sang well to Here Right Now from Ghost and April Stanhope put in a stunning rendition of With You which one of the modern musicals most emotional numbers

I loved the Cabaret numbers, all with fantastic vocals and a great routine on Don’t Tell Mama choreographed by Stacey Maurice.  This was followed by a full company number from Sweet Charity, choreographed by Lizy Oakes which transformed us back to the 60’s and was visually exciting and faultless.  Molly Mae France then followed this with a lovely again faultless vocal on If My Friends Could see Me Know.

The West Side Story numbers were great with so much energy and Melissa Saxon and    Katherine Farrow sounded great too.

Then we were treated to a couple of lesser known shows with songs from The Last 5 Years and Songs for a New World. I loved See I’m Smiling by Georgia Moth and Eleanor Reynolds was very funny with great vocals on Climbing Uphill. A New World was beautiful with such complicated harmony work and Stars and the Moon performed by Mary Platts was gorgeous. Well done to Jo Farrow who was MD on these last 2 numbers.

Numbers from Mamma Mia ended Act 1 on a high. Costumes changed throughout the show with great use of colour and decade co-ordinates and accessories. Good use was made of Props throughout,

At the opening of Act 2 we were treated to some excellent numbers from Guys and Dolls with Millie Cunliffe leading Take Back Your Mink and dueting with Molly Mae France on Marry the Man Today which had beautiful blending of their voices.  Bushel and A Peck was nicely sandwiched between these with lovely vocals from Emily Lyons.

Abey Bradbury and Katherine Farrow performed a brilliant version of Take Me or Leave Me from Rent and Tom Davidson followed this with a gorgeous song called Role of a Lifetime from Bare which he performed way beyond his young years.

Goodnight from Dreaming Wide Awake was sung by Emily Lyons who had stunning vocals on this number. Behind the gauze was a beautiful dance routine which was choreographed by Molly Mae France and looked gorgeous- well done Molly.

We were then treated to 3 numbers from Jekyll and Hyde. I loved Good and Evil with fab vocals from Katherine Farrow and In His Eyes by Millie Cunliffe and Mary Platts was beautifully performed with a perfect blend of voices.

9 to 5 was the next featured show and again the blending and harmonies of Sophie Thompson, Eleanor Reynolds and April Stanhope’s voices was gorgeous. Emily Lyons put in another fab number with Backwoods Barbie.

The penultimate numbers were from Sister Act and Abey Bradbury led the Company expertly with fine vocals and acting skills.

To round off such a delightful evening we had numbers from Joseph. All sounded fantastic and yet again had great dance routines full of energy. And all that after 2 and a half hours. I was exhausted watching them all but it was a thoroughly brilliant evening where I realised the future of Musical Theatre is safe in their hands, including production skills. Well done to everyone involved especially the Next Generation staff who give so much to these young talented performers.

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