Take 21

This show was sprinkled with magic dust from its opening number to its last. The cast exploded on the stage as a cohesive team charged up with showing what they could do to entertain and they succeeded. With sparkling costumes and huge smiles, they took us to magic world with Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Magical Mr Mistoffelees and Puff the Magic Dragon. Then in the next section called Toys, the younger ones showed their control in clockwork doll movement, charming in their doll’s dresses.  More toys appeared, a chef, princesses, dancers, pirates, soldiers, crusaders and cowboys to delight us with Living Doll, The Muffin Man, Rubber Ball and Barbie Girl. As a complete contrast, the first half finished with a section on crime. Dressed as criminals and police, concentration and coordination was the order of the day in the Pink Panther, Pick a Pocket or Two, and In the Jailhouse Now. Soloists for Bonnie and Clyde and for The Laughing Policeman matched in effort while the closing number from Cell Block H just wowed us all. With no loss of pace in the second half, and a reliable narrator, we were taken on a memory tour of songs from the 60’s to the Noughties.  In groovy costumes the cast continued to delight with numbers like I’m a Believer, I Can’t Get No Satisfaction, and These Boots Were Made for Walking. Soloists were well received for My Girl, Downtown, I Will Survive, Puppy Love, Old Time Rock and Roll and Man, I feel Like a Woman. With everyone on stage the cast brought their show to a climax with impressive signing to Where is The Love. Once more, Ups and Downs inspired and moved their audience with their unflagging energy and determination to give their best. A big round of applause to all, the orchestrators, the supporters and of course Ups and Downs themselves.

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