West End Experience

It was a privilege to be invited along to Top Box’s West End Experience concert at Redditch’s Palace Theatre.  Because this was no ordinary concert – it was a celebration of Top Box’s 15th Anniversary, featuring songs from some of the shows that the company have produced over the years.  And what a joyous event it was, a tribute to everything that company director Tracy Anne Wright has achieved.

Top Box has its roots in Vocalize – a group of singers who met once a week at their local village hall, back in 2009.  Annual productions followed, everything from Miss Saigon to Hairspray and High School Musical Jr.  But it was following the Covid pandemic that Top Box Studios really exploded into vivid life.  Three productions in 2022 were followed by five in 2023, nine in 2024 and six (so far) in 2025.  Top Box now have four centres with seven theatre groups for youth, teens and adults, and are fully inclusive, providing many young people and adults with an introduction to performance.

As the curtain rose on this very special night, we were greeted by the astonishing sight of 170 performers crammed onto the stage.  This in itself was plentiful evidence of the great work that Top Box have done.  As they launched into a full-throated version of ‘Good Things Grow’ from Snow White, it was clear that this was going to be a night to remember.  The programme featured songs from twenty different shows, from Matilda to Carrie and Elf to Sweeney Todd.  This really highlighted the diverse range of shows produced by the company, whilst also giving a variety of performers the chance to shine.  It was great to see so many principal cast members return to reprise some of their ‘greatest hits’, and their delight in doing so was clear to see. 

There was such a huge contribution made to the show by all of the performers that it would seem wrong to name individuals, but what I will say is that every single performer gave their all.  Many of the lead vocals were sung in pairs by previous cast members who had played those particular roles (for example, we saw the Redditch, Stratford and Kidderminster Matildas).  This worked very well both to share the limelight and also to show just how good these singers have become. 

Having visited Top Box on numerous occasion since Nativity! The Musical in 2022, the progression made by so many of these young people was clear to see.  Just to see them standing confidently on stage, so poised and singing so tunefully and with such good characterisation, shows the impact of the work that Tracy and her fellow member of the Top Box management team Georgie Pearce have done.  It would not surprise me to see some of these young people pursue a career in professional theatre, but for all of them the confidence and belief that they have clearly gained bodes well for their future, whatever it may hold. 

There was some very nice choreography accompanying some of the songs, such as ‘When You’re an Addams’, ‘It’s a Hard Knock Life’ and ‘Six’ – more good work by Georgie Pearce.  Other songs were delivered simply, but no less impactfully by solo performers or small groups.  This made for good variety through the evening.  But perhaps the most impressive were the songs performed with such joyous spirit by the whole ensemble, such as ‘A Million Dreams’, ‘One Day More’, and closer ‘Bring on Tomorrow’, which really sent a tingle down the spine. 

The technical elements of the show were well delivered – in particular the lighting which really elevated many of the songs.  A word too for the person who adjusted the height of the six microphones spanning the stage in between almost every song – no mean feat in the dark!  I’d also like to mention the sixteen unseen chaperones who must have been run off their feet backstage, but without whom the show would not have been possible.  The commitment of such people is critical to making amateur theatre happen, so a huge well done to them all.

My hearty congratulations to Tracy, Georgie and the entire Top Box team for a fantastic, rousing evening of song.  The packed audience rightly cheered every song to the rafters (it was fun seeing mums, dads and siblings around me spotting their relatives on stage!), and as the final curtain bounced up and down to allow the whole cast to take their well-earned bows, it was clear that the night had been a wonderful demonstration of the company’s success.  Here’s to the next fifteen years! 

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