Sunrise Sunset

Sunrise, Sunset – a concert performed by Wigan Musical Theatre Group, at St Michael’s Parish Hall, Shaw Street, Wigan on Friday, 16th May, 2025.

WMTG proudly described this concert as an .... ‘EVENING OF SONGS FROM THE SHOWS’! This was a thoroughly entertaining evening of ‘show songs’ ... from the ever popular .... ‘42nd Street’, ‘9 to 5’, ‘Crazy for You’ to the lesser-known ‘Call Me Madam’, ‘Roar of the Greasepaint’, and ‘Sunshine on Leith’.  From a pure personal point of view, I thought this was one, if not the best thing, I’ve seen WMTG do ... their singing was ‘effortless’, their enthusiasm ‘boundless’, their enjoyment was etched on the faces of all twenty-nine cast members!  Be very proud folks... fabulous concert!  

Production Team...the concert had been ‘put together’ by Frances Cheetham (Director) and Josh Robinson (Musical Director) and Emily Fenton (Choreographer) with support from Committee members and what a tremendous job they made of it, not only pulling the concert together, but for its content. It was obvious that time had been spent on song selection; on the harmonies created throughout and the togetherness of all the cast... this was a wonderful effort on everyone’s part!

Cast ... included the following: Lucy Bache, Cara Bullock, Gwen Charnock, Rosella Cropper, Hazel Dobson, Julie Edwards, AnnEllen Fazackerley, Anne Foy, Emily Fenton, Tracey Fitzpatrick, Clare Hodkinson, Val Hogg, Shirley Hughes, Sandy Kershaw, Jess Lloyd, Danielle Lyon, Pat Reid, Louise Osmond, Joyce Ratcliffe, Lisa Rignall, Maria Rignall, Carol Smith, Emma Stockley, Elizabeth Wallwork .... John Clinton, Ian Hollis, Robert Kenyon, Brian Middlehurst and Aidan Miners. The concert was performed in two Acts and four scenes, with a break after the second scene ...

Act 1 Scene 1 ... ‘The Day Begins’ (Act One) .... included the following songs, sung by...  
‘Good Morning, Good Morning’ – Jess, Cara, Ian & the Company
‘Our House’ – Sung by the Full Company
‘On a Wonderful Day Like Today’ – Emily, Aidan & the Company
‘Once You Lose Your Heart’ – Robert
‘The Boy Next Door’ – Lucy
‘Do You Love Me’ – John & Clare
‘Bad Guys’ – Men’s Ensemble
‘Dirty Laundry’ – Maria, Clare, Jess, Gwen, Cara & the Ladies

Act 1 Scene 2... ‘The Working Day’ included ...
‘Nine to Five’ – Sandy, Lisa, Emily, & Lucy
‘Brotherhood of Man’ – John, Ian & the Ensemble
‘Around Here’ – Maria, Sandy, Lisa, Lucy, Jess & the Company
SKETCH : ‘Class’ – Aidan, John and Elizabeth
‘A Secretary is Not a Toy’ – Sandy & the Ensemble
‘The Company Way’ – Aidan & John
SKETCH : ‘Tea Break’ – Danielle, Jess, Elizabeth, Ian
‘Hey There’ – Clare, Robert, Lisa & Lucy
‘Back in the Business’ – Aidan, Sandy & the Company
‘We’re in the Money’ – Maria, Aidan, Sandy & the Company

Act 2 Scene 3... ‘An Afternoon in the Park’ included the following...
‘Seize the Day’ - Jess, Sandy, Lucy and the Company
‘It's a Lovely Day Today’ – Ian, Cara, Emily, Robert, Maria, Lisa, Gwen, Jess and Lucy
Sketch: ‘Lunch Interrupted’ – Aidan, Clare & John
‘Sun in the Morning’ – Sandy & the Ladies
‘Together Wherever We Go’ – Emily, Aidan, Ian, Cara & the Company
‘Biding My Time’ – Men’s Ensemble
‘You and Me’ – John & Clare
Sketch: ‘Clive & Gail’ – Jess & Ian
‘Sunrise, Sunset’ – Maria, Lisa, John, Clare, Gwen, Aidan & the Company

Act 2 Scene 4... ‘An Evening in the Park’
‘A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening’  - Full Company
‘Wherever He Ain’t’ – Sandy, Jess, Lisa, Emily, Lucy & Cara
‘Always Look on the Bright Side’ – Men’s Ensemble
‘What I did for Love’ – Gwen, Maria & Clare
‘Love Makes the World go Round’ – Full Company
‘The Way You Look Tonight’ – Josh Robinson
 ‘Sunshine on Leith’ – Full Company
‘500 Miles’ – Full Company

As you know, I’m never one to sit on the fence, but let me assure you, selecting favourites from this lot, wasn’t easy! When you’ve so many amazing songs sung by so many amazing voices it becomes very difficult not to offend... BUT, these are MY favourites and I’m going to start with, and this isn’t a ‘cop out’... ‘Sunshine on Leith’ sung by the entire Company.  This song isn’t sung very often, but when its sung to perfection, as this was, with beautiful harmonies and with the joy and emotion in the eyes of everyone on stage, then this was something I will remember! Be very proud, there were a few tissues floating around including mine, love this song ... congrats! Lucy Bache’s rendition of ‘The Boy Next Door’, was another favourite of mine, sung with so much feeling and passion. Lucy has a tremendous voice and used it to its fullest, be ever so proud Lucy. I can’t move on without making comment about the sketches... loved them all if I’m honest! Sometimes sketches can break the flow of a concert, but not these, they somehow enhanced and supported it ... ‘MY’ favourite had to be ‘Tea Break’ performed by Danielle, Jess, Elizabeth and Ian... loved the line ... ‘A Wigan Cake is like a Chorley Cake only it’s on a barm’, could only be said in Wigan. Before closing, can I briefly mention Jess Lloyd ... honestly, her jaw must have ached after this production, I’ve never seen anyone with a ‘bigger smile’ on their face throughout an entire show and not far behind Jess ‘in the smiles department’ was Elizebeth Wallwork, another who just never stopped smiling, well done ladies!
Please, please, please, if I haven’t mentioned you directly, don’t think you weren’t noticed, because that’s as far from the truth as possible... be proud of what you all helped achieve... this was wonderful stuff!

Thank you so much for inviting my wife and I... we really did have fabulous evening and enjoyed the concert from start to finish! I wasn’t going to mention Frances’s ‘Victoria Sponge’, but just to ‘mess’ with John’s head ... it was superb, as always, Frances!  See you all soon, can’t wait for ‘Sister Act’.

Stay safe and keep well….
“Stronger Together”
Jim Briscoe
NODA North West
District 6 Rep

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