The WOW Show 2015 - Song and Dance in Perfect Harmony

This show certainly lived up to the name of the presenters: WOW! All the elements of this compilation were well put together with thought to the presentation and audience enjoyment. There was a good mix of well-known and not so familiar numbers; nice contrasts between the frenetic and the still items; well balanced programming of solos, small ensembles and full company numbers and all presented with verve and enthusiasm. The whole show was beautifully lit (Dave Tozer, Pavilion), again creating some striking contrasts.  Sound was good (Tim Earnes, Pavilion), enhancing some excellent diction.  Costumes were varied and added to the atmosphere of the various numbers. 

There was very little extraneous movement, but singing from the soul. It is a generally held opinion that the unfocussed waving of the arms and shuffling of the feet is a sign of the artist trying hard to hide faults. What impressed here was the innate stillness of the performers. Most of the way through arms and hand gestures were kept to a minimum concentrating the audience’s attention on the singing and acting. Most impressive was the depth of understanding displayed by the performers. 

Dance numbers were well constructed giving everyone a turn at the front, but not exposing the less experienced in the crucial moments. It was great though, to see the performers far upstage giving just as good a performance as those members downstage. Choreography was varied and gave plenty of opportunity for the varied talents to be shown in full measure. The full company routines were slick and very together.  

Soloists did extremely well with voices being matched appropriately to the wide range of songs. It is always good to hear the improvement and development of individual voices. Particularly, it was great not to hear anyone forcing their voices. The Pavilion is a big space to fill, but no one required to present a harsh tone to get across their emotions  and no one over tried.  Most impressive was the old troupers who carried on with aplomb when the mics let them down. This gave us a wonderful opportunity to hear the glorious voices in their unaided state – marvellous. 

A number of individuals stood out, but it was the team spirit that particularly shone through. The future of the group is in good hands with plenty of exciting talent coming to the fore. This was a fabulous evening’s entertainment which only served to build the excitement for the next show.  Compilation shows are such hard work – so much more than a full show where it is already written, tried and tested but there was no sign of the joins in this extremely classy presentation.

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