Local company Edinburgh Music Theatre present their second production in a double bill and achieve a true West End sound.
Much of the credit goes to Metcalf for producing such a varied programme of songs, which are performed with skill.
When a renowned local company gets the chance to cherry pick the biggest and best songs from the complete catalogue of the musicals, it must be difficult to pick exactly which 12 songs to use. On this occasion is proven to be interesting mixture.
Kicking off with Pure Imagination from current West End success, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Claire Laurenson delivers a song rich with pathos. It makes an interesting statement that the best song from this new musical is the only one to come from the original motion picture.
What follows is an hour of classics from Jesus Christ Superstar to Phantom of the Opera including We Will Rock You and Chess, which is to be next year’s main production.
Particular highlights include Phantom medley which is delivered with style by the company featuring Claire MacLean and Jennifer Good in the female solo roles. Andrew Todman gives a thrilling and soulful performance as the Phantom and the piece makes for a sparkling moment.
There are some interesting choices, one of which is the Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Show. It doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the selection but the song is performed with gusto by Henrietta Linneman, David Doherty, Ian Fallon and Agne Meskyte.
The show is brought to a stylish close with a rendition of One Day More from the ever successful Les Misérables when the ensemble blend their harmonies in a rich, full sound. The production is again anchored by the company’s Musical Director Neil Metcalf and his three piece band.
Much of the credit goes to Metcalf for producing such a varied programme of songs, which are performed with skill. If the cast could learn to move around the stage without kicking the float mics then this would be an almost a flawless production.
As the curtain fell, the audience certainly had their money’s worth from a company that never fails to deliver with their skill and passion for the art of the musical theatre.
