Walking on Sunshine

After fifteen months’ theatre deprivation, I was delighted to be invited to flip open my laptop and watch CAOS Musical Productions’ second on-line presentation, Walking on Sunshine. Having been blown away by the professionalism of their 2020 Christmas show, I was expecting great things, and I was most definitely not disappointed.

Again, the programme had been chosen with care and imagination. Musical theatre had not been ignored but the chosen songs were blended nicely with popular music going back to the 1950s. Many of the numbers were unfamiliar to me, but it was a delight to hear them and enjoy the way they were presented to us. The evening was compered by the very personable Ryan Moss who always provided just the right amount of information and humour, not interrupting the flow.

Watching the show, I was mentally ticking off a list of tasks that must have been undertaken to organise it. Choice of music, sourcing backing tracks, finding locations, organising filming, lighting and sound recording, choreography, rehearsals, costuming… the list was endless, but CAOS made it all look so slick and effortless.

I cannot comment on individual numbers as there were so many! But each item had been well thought out, with imaginative choreography, appropriate costumes and the right mood achieved with choice of setting and, where appropriate, lovely touches of humour. The singing and harmonies were exemplary, and movement executed perfectly. Perhaps a lot of takes were needed to achieve perfection – but somehow I doubt it.

Scheduling rehearsals and filming must have been a real headache, with constantly changing Covid restrictions and unpredictable weather to contend with, but what a result! Numerous picturesque locations in and around Chichester had been found (it was good fun trying to guess where they were) along with the group’s normal rehearsal hall and cast members’ homes. Most numbers were filmed in multiple locations and the video sequences skilfully mixed together with lip-sync masterfully maintained.

Musical Director Adam Fox had chosen some top-quality backing tracks, well suited to the numbers and singers, and Bee Anderson’s choreography was inventive and well adapted to the unusual locations. Individual and chorus vocals were excellent throughout, despite the difficulty of some of the songs.

Once again, the highest praise must go to Dan Farmiloe for the video production. What useful skills to have at this time! You achieved utterly professional results under what must have been exceedingly difficult circumstances, even managing to appear in some of the numbers yourself.

Well done! What a fabulous show – I wish you could have heard my applause! So professionally planned, performed, and recorded. It was exciting to watch and I really was walking on sunshine afterwards. You are a multi-talented group and I look forward to seeing you again, back in a theatre later this year.

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