ENCORE !
Photos courtesy of Alan Martin
Reviewed by: Jim Briscoe on 26 February 2024
Venue: Little Theatre - Southport
Date: 7 - 10 February 2024
Type of Production: Musical
A collection of music from past Spotlights’ shows plus some from others we’d like to do.
Directed by Elaine Cox
Musical Directors: Adam Dutch & Gill Harris
‘ENCORE!’ a concert performed by Southport Spotlights Musical Theatre Society on Thursday 8th February 2024 at The Little Theatre, Hoghton Street, Southport.
The Production Team… Elaine Cox (Director) was the person charged with bringing the concert to stage and what a great job she made of it! From her programme notes… Elaine tells us that all the songs sung were chosen from musicals performed by Southport Spotlights over the past seven decades plus some ‘new ones’ from musicals that they haven’t yet done, but they’d really love to do! Elaine also suggests that with ‘so many songs to be sung’ it was a ‘dream’ of hers to have not just one, but two Musical Directors – enter Adam Dutch and Gill Harris and both should be congratulated on their efforts and the outcomes. Elaine also had the experienced Chloe Morris and Corinna Davies as Choreographers… all in all a Production Team of some note… and their experience and know how shone through… well done everyone!
The Cast… Anna Dunnett-Edge, Zara Newton, Lauren King, Abi Gibbons, Maddison Rose, Marie Orr, Shelagh Wright, Hannah Munro, Kate Miles-Roberts, Gill Harris, Lisa Tatler, Debbie Pendleton, Laura-Jane Palmer-Farrar, Philippa Sandiford, Pippa Morris plus eight children … Andrew Dunnett-Edge, Autumn Wright, Emma Westby, Felicity Pendleton, Lola Birtles, Isabelle Culshaw, Lucy Brookfield and Lucy Scott Programme (Performed in two parts) … Part 1 (Singers/Dancers shown by just their first names)
i) Bless Our Show from ‘Sister Act’ was a great choice to open this or any concert to be honest… sung by Lauren and the chorus… listen to the lyrics and they tell you all you need to know about this concert …JUST BLESS THEATRE and what it brings to us all as we ‘stand side by side on stage’ … great start!
ii) Matchmaker from ‘Fidler on the Roof’… sung by Abi, Zara and Marie tells the story of Tevye’s daughters asking the matchmaker to choose a partner for them … great rendition
iii) Make Him Mine from ‘Witches of Eastwick’ sung by Gill, Lauren and Kate … another great show/another great song, sung really well
iv) I Could Have Danced All Night from ‘My Fair Lady’… iconic song from an iconic show sung by Lisa… supported well and danced to perfection by Maddison…. be ever so proud, well done you two
v) If Momma Was Married from ‘Gypsy’… sung by Lucy Brookfield and Lola … well done you two!
vi) Paris Original from ‘How to Succeed in Business Without really Trying’… a new song for me, sung and danced really well by Anna, Maddison, Lauren, Pippa, Debbie, Philippa and Marie.
vii) When I grow Up from ‘Matilda’ … “loved it” … love this song sung by Andrew, Autumn, Emma, Felicity, Isabelle, Lola, Lucy Brookfield, Lucy Scott and Zara… well done folks
viii) Little Girls from ‘Annie’… sung and acted really well by Marie.
ix) Somewhere from ‘West Side Story’… Kate, Gill, Laura-Jane, Zara, Pippa and Anna did a great job with this song… pity about the ‘haze’!
x) Skid Row (Downtown) from ‘Little Shop of Horrors’, love this show! The song was sung by full ensemble … some great harmonies, another I just loved!
xi) Nobody’s Side from ‘Chess’, another that I wasn’t familiar with, but sung really well by Anna
xii) I Know It’s Today from ‘Shrek’ sung by Autumn, Emma and Zara…this song is about Fiona, as she becomes a teenager, then into a headstrong woman, but she never loses her faith in her fairy tales… love this song, sung really well by the trio tonight
xiii) Finale Act 1 was Forget about the Boy from ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’ sung by Abi, Maddison, Laura-Jane, Pippa, Gill, Philippa, Anna, Kate, Hannah and Zara… great finish to Act 1
Part 2
i) Just Arrived from ‘Copacabana’ opened part two sung by Abi, Zara, Maddison and chorus… I remember coming to watch this show in 2018, I think… I remember the dancers being fabulous! Another great opening, loved the dance moves that accompanied the song congrats!
ii) Electricity from ‘Billy Elliott’ was knocked out the park by Andrew Dunnett-Edge. Sung and danced with great aplomb, appreciated by the entire audience present that evening… well done Andrew!
iii) I Still Believe from ‘Miss Saigon’ sung by Lauren and Gill. This song is about loneliness and secrets which come between Kim and Ellen in the musical… love this song… sung really well!
iv) All Alone – from ‘Spamalot’ ... Debbie, Laura-Jane and the chorus! Brought the house down… sung/acted to perfection, loved the animals, loved the humour… just what the doctor ordered!
v) What is this Feeling from ‘Wicked’ sung by Lauren and Maddison and the ladies of the chorus… loved the choreo, loved the interpretation… well done!
vi) At Times Like This from ‘Lucky Stiff’ … another show not known by me; the synopsis tells of an unassuming English shoe salesman forced to take the embalmed body of his recently murdered uncle on a vacation to Monte Carlo… a little bizarre … but Gill did a really great job with this song
vii) When Children Rule the World from ‘Whistle Down the Wind’… sung and acted by Andrew, Autumn, Emma, Felicity, Isabelle, Lola, Zara, Lucy Brookfield and Lucy Scott… another great rendition… don’t like taking away from ‘the whole’ because they all were amazing but, young Autumn just ‘shone’, it was obvious that she was having the time of her young life… and that’s what AMATEUR THEATRE IS ALL ABOUT!
viii) Being Alive from ‘Company’... sung by Lisa… love, love, love this song and Lisa did it real justice, well done, can’t wait to see the whole musical in July!
ix) Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering from ‘Sunset Boulevard’ sung by Marie, Laura-Jane, Gill, Kate, Debbie, Abi and Lisa … one of my favourite musicals ... well done!
x) Time Heals Everything from ‘Mack and Mabel’ sung Lauren… great rendition, be proud!
xi) You Could Drive a Person Crazy … ‘Company’ another new song for me, sung really well by Gill, Pippa and Abi, having to wait patiently until July to see the whole!
xii) 42nd Street from ‘42nd Street’… sung by Anna supported by a ‘Troup of Tappers’… love this show, love this song, another sung and danced with great aplomb.
xiii) Finale – GOODBYE from ‘The Producers’… full ensemble did themselves proud... congrats one and all. When you think of all the amazing songs that were sung and performed that evening, picking ‘favourites’ was a challenge, but, never one to ‘sit on the fence’ I’m going to select one ‘favourite’ from each part...
Part 1 … I’m going for SKID ROW … love this song, we had some great harmonies and I just thought with all those voices coming together… it just sounded fabulous!
Part 2 … Had to be… the highlight of the entire show for me ‘ALL ALONE’ … probably the biggest applause of the evening I would suggest … it was different, but sung and acted with enthusiasm and passion! ‘Constructive Advice’… for everyone, not just ‘Spotlights’, never forget to include ‘humour’ into any concert! It adds so much, it breaks the show up, audiences love it… a story, a theme and humour are always at winning combination! The Band led by Adam Dutch (Musical Director) were fabulous throughout and supported the singers well. Staging/Tech … was simple yet effective… Andrea Shacksmyth-Claire (Stage Manager and Lighting Designer). Loved the ‘graphics’ that supported/identified each song… arranged by Paul Shacksmyth-Claire. Sound Design/Sound Engineer - was Matt Hughes and Sam Robinson respectively. Props and Wardrobe … was in the safe hands of Tanya Steel and the Cast
Thank you so much for the invite, as always it was a pleasure to see you guys in actions! Thanks to Andy Steel for looking after me! Can’t wait for ‘Company’… congrats for your success at the Noda Awards Dinner … well deserved!
Stay safe and keep well
“Stronger Together”
Jim Briscoe NODA North West District 6 Rep