Musicals hold a certain kind of magic, and there’s always that one particular song that sticks in your mind as the highlight of the show – so a whole night of those songs could only be spectacular, and this absolutely was. Hosted by the ever charming and incredibly charismatic (and, whether he thinks so or not, very funny) Robert Daws, this was a memorable night celebrating the best of the best musical theatre tunes.
Alongside Bob, we were joined by an incredibly talented live band and a cast of West End stars: Amy Robbins, Sabrina Carter, Gemma Atkins, Gerard Bentall, Chris Holland and Stephen Palfreman. Dressed to the nines in glamorous outfits, the six singers took us on a powerful journey through some of the most famous musicals, cherry picking songs that are packed full of emotion and beauty to render the audience breathless.
Highlights included Chris Holland’s rendition of Gethsemane from Jesus Christ Superstar, a very different but still spectacular male duet of For Good from Wicked, Amy Robbins singing Calendar Girls’ Sunflower, and a whole-cast medley of four songs from Les Mis. The list could go on, of course, because every song was beautifully performed with so much heart: Defying Gravity, The Music of the Night, and so many more. There were plenty of audience tears after a particularly haunting rendition of Easy Terms from Blood Brothers, a song that packs an emotional punch even without the context of the musical itself to back it up.
Punctuating each song was an introduction from Robert Daws, who was a perfect host full of industry stories, fun anecdotes, and plenty of charm – he had the audience in the palm of his hand as he walked us through the show. The band, too, were fantastic, even letting their own personalities shine during the brief audience interaction section where Chris Holland sang Happy Birthday in various musical styles to lucky attendees!
We were not only lucky enough to see those of past and current West End fame singing some of the best songs from the musicals – we also got to cheer on the stars of the future from Stage-ed, founded by Stephen Palfreman himself. The ex-Blood Brothers actor set up Stage-ed with Michael Southern, also of Blood Brothers fame, to deliver musical theatre workshops to thousands of students across the UK and beyond. They run themed workshops and holiday schools, and it’s clear to see the immense passion the pair have for the arts and for nurturing young peoples’ talent.
The Stage-ed youth ensemble treated us to a few performances over the course of the show, including Stick it to the Man from School of Rock and a beautiful recital of Miss Saigon’s Bui Doi performed alongside Chris, Gerard and Stephen. The children were all brilliant, and it was of course fantastic to see their hard work come to fruition.
Overall, this was a spectacular evening celebrating the joy and talent of the West End, through beautifully performed musical theatre hits. In the capable hands of Robert Daws, the audience clearly enjoyed every moment – from the opening notes to the final performance of Tina Turner’s Simply the Best. The passion, energy and pure expertise of those on stage led to a very well deserved standing ovation, and it really was a five-star night.
Reviewer: Katy Gilroy
Reviewed: 25th August 2024
North West End UK Rating: