SHOW HITS 2011

SHOW HITS 2011

LADS at the Tractor Shed
31.08.11


How did a redundant tractor shed attract a talented company of younsters to spend their summer nights preparing a very enjoyable, and highly professional, variety show of songs [and dances] from the musical stage ?

Well, that's a story for another day. Suffice it to say that Show Hits 2011 was a fast-paced, slick sequence which never lost energy or style.

It began with a generous helping of Sister Act, with a very lively Deloris, and some impressive chorus work.

And ended with the Queen fans' juke-box musical, We Will Rock You, with familiar numbers [though not alas Bohemian Rhapsody] belted out with enthusiasm and a great rock backing.

In between we had two lovingly revived “Gerald Wiley” monologues off the box, a very stylish title number from Cabaret, and the Waltz duet from Sweeney Todd, which honesty compels me to say was the only performance where all the words were audible. Not to mention brief encounters with Rent, Wicked, Legally Blonde and Glee, and a commendably simple sequence from Glee: the a cappella ending to Say A Little Prayer was a musical highlight.

The sixteen-piece orchestra – the envy of many a West End pit these days, and maybe a tad over-powered for this acoustic and these vocal forces – was directed by the prodigiously talented Kris Rawlinson, who also managed to appear in two numbers, including Shrek in a green mask of his own making …

The younger performers – some cute Cockney tots here – got a chance to shine in a medley from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which featured a brilliant knees-up number [Ol' Bamboo] and the car itself, magnificently recreated by Frank Burgess. We're promised a period cab for Pygmalion, LADS' next show...

Show Hits 2011 was directed by Cathy Hallam, with Mandi Tickner, and choreography by Vicki Bird.

SHOW HITS 2010

Latchingdon Arts and Drama Society at The Tractor Shed

03.09.10

No “auto-tune” in evidence here – and only the most rudimentary sound re-inforcement.

The “strange journey” through the musical comedy canon began with Rocky Horror – lively gothy punks tapping and Time-Warping.

We also visited Fame, Footloose, Funny Girl and the Fandango Ballroom for a nice sequence from Sweet Charity, including smoke and silhouettes for Big Spender, an excellent Something Better trio and a hippy Sixties Rhythm of Life. A welcome drop of nostalgia with Bosom Buddies [from Mame], but also bang up-to-date with Legally Blonde – pink divas squealing Omigod You Guys – and Avenue Q, featuring some very impressive puppets and a cameo from the show's tireless MD Kris Rawlinson.

In the first half we had Dorothy and some cute Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz, and in the second, the phenomenally successful Wicked. I imagine its success is not down to the quality of its melodies, but this young company brought boundless energy [and a unicycle] to the stage to suggest the spectacular style of the original.

Two 'front-cloth' items while the chorus changed. If they'd been listed in the programme I would have thought only a madman would try to recreate two classic routines forever linked with their creators. But Jake the Peg and Tommy Cooper's “Hats” sketch both worked surprisingly well, painstakingly reconstructed and confidently delivered.

ShowHits 2010 was directed by Cathy Hallam with Mandi Tickner, and the choreography was by Vicki Bird, assisted by Vicky Cumbers.
photos by Sethski Woolf