Review: That’s Entertainment, Theatre Royal, York (From York Press)

Review: That’s Entertainment, Theatre Royal, York

8:27am Saturday 19th May 2012 in Theatre

The Theatre Royal was flooded with excited musical fans on Wednesday night, as they waited for the latest performance from the York Musical Theatre Company.

Directed by Paul Laidlaw, the show was created to celebrate the company’s 110th anniversary, and contained a collection of hits from many musicals, including Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, and The Phantom Of The Opera. The hits from Frank Loesser’s Guys And Dolls were particularly entertaining, starting with Fugue For Tinhorns. This piece was well-sung and handled with great timing and wit. Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The Boat, sung by Chris Hagyard, was another exciting performance that received thunderous applause. Toni Feetenby kept the audience laughing and cheering with Adelaide’s Lament, and I’ll Know and Luck Be A Lady enabled John Haigh to stand out as a particularly impressive Sky Masterson.

Jessa Liversidge blew the audience away with her moving performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Memory, which contrasted completely with her hilarious light-hearted number in act two, The Boy From... The full, live orchestra’s instrumental performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom Of The Opera and Jerry Herman’s Mack And Mabel Overture were wonderful.

Gareth Smith cannot go without a mention, as his brilliant performance of Empty Chairs At Empty Tables stirred and moved the audience.

At the end of the evening the full company waited and were shrouded in darkness before a single spotlight highlighted Eleanor Leaper. She opened timidly into I Dreamed A Dream, and built up the song to a stirring and powerful finale.

The production finished with the full company singing One Day More, and the audience swept up more raptuous applause for the finishing number and left the theatre smiling.

That’s Entertainment, Theatre Royal, York. Box office: 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

Review by Amber King