For the second week in a row, I found myself at The Brentwood Theatre watching a concert. This time it was Vivid Theatre Production's concert entitled Spread a Little Joy.
Somehow, Vivid Theatre had managed to bring together a host of the very cream of many local societies, including two recent Brent Award winners! Looking at the names of those performing I was expecting some very high quality singing and, for the most part, that is exactly what was delivered.
Of the 28 numbers performed, I was only familiar with 13 so had some pleasant surprises with the numbers I did not know and have some musicals that I now need to find a bit more about!
Split into two acts, with occasional loose connections between numbers, the concert flowed well and kept a good pace - apart from a few scene changes where there was a longer pause - with a simple but effective stage set up and numerous balloons, which featured as a continuous motif throughout the whole concert.
In Act One, stand out numbers included Pulled, sung by Katie-Elizabeth Allgood who was very convincing as a Wednesday Addams questioning herself, Summertime, sung by Maria Alderson, Schadenfreude, sung by Rachel Lane and Stephen Gulson in a very convincing Avenue Q style, (shame about the swearing with the young children un the audience and on stage though), and the whole company with A Joyful Noise which ended the act well.
Act Two's stand out numbers for me included Wild Wild Party performed by Daniel Glock, Sian Hopwood and the company, I Want the Good Times Back performed with relish by the excellent Kerry Cooke who was every bit the evil Ursula, There sung by Bob Southgate, whose voice I've only previously heard in big belting numbers, but here his voice was so melodic, and Mandi Threadgold, I'm Not That Girl sung by Sarah Mayes, which gave me goosebumps and the rousing Disney ending of Bare Necessities and A Spoonful of Sugar, which was sung at counterpoint expertly.
At this point I would also like to mention the orchestration, which was simple but effective throughout and was beautifully complimented with the addition of Deborah Carter's brass in the final number.
Spread a Little Joy was a fundraising concert for the Brentwood Theatre, put together by Emma Jane Sweeney and Ian Southgate.
An excellent concert, with a fabulous company.
Vivid Theatre Production's next venture in Disney's High School Musical on stage, which comes to the Brentwood Theatre next April.
Somehow, Vivid Theatre had managed to bring together a host of the very cream of many local societies, including two recent Brent Award winners! Looking at the names of those performing I was expecting some very high quality singing and, for the most part, that is exactly what was delivered.
Of the 28 numbers performed, I was only familiar with 13 so had some pleasant surprises with the numbers I did not know and have some musicals that I now need to find a bit more about!
Split into two acts, with occasional loose connections between numbers, the concert flowed well and kept a good pace - apart from a few scene changes where there was a longer pause - with a simple but effective stage set up and numerous balloons, which featured as a continuous motif throughout the whole concert.
In Act One, stand out numbers included Pulled, sung by Katie-Elizabeth Allgood who was very convincing as a Wednesday Addams questioning herself, Summertime, sung by Maria Alderson, Schadenfreude, sung by Rachel Lane and Stephen Gulson in a very convincing Avenue Q style, (shame about the swearing with the young children un the audience and on stage though), and the whole company with A Joyful Noise which ended the act well.
Act Two's stand out numbers for me included Wild Wild Party performed by Daniel Glock, Sian Hopwood and the company, I Want the Good Times Back performed with relish by the excellent Kerry Cooke who was every bit the evil Ursula, There sung by Bob Southgate, whose voice I've only previously heard in big belting numbers, but here his voice was so melodic, and Mandi Threadgold, I'm Not That Girl sung by Sarah Mayes, which gave me goosebumps and the rousing Disney ending of Bare Necessities and A Spoonful of Sugar, which was sung at counterpoint expertly.
At this point I would also like to mention the orchestration, which was simple but effective throughout and was beautifully complimented with the addition of Deborah Carter's brass in the final number.
Spread a Little Joy was a fundraising concert for the Brentwood Theatre, put together by Emma Jane Sweeney and Ian Southgate.
An excellent concert, with a fabulous company.
Vivid Theatre Production's next venture in Disney's High School Musical on stage, which comes to the Brentwood Theatre next April.