Wiltshire Times

FRIDAY, MAY 18th, 2012

Race around West End has some super singing

West End WOW!

Trowbridge Amateur Operatic Society and Trowbridge Youth Theatre

MIXING company numbers with solos, this revue-style show gave a good flavour of what’s currently on offer in London, without the trouble of leaving Trowbridge.

The society’s first show in the revamped Civic Centre sadly saw some of the soloists plagued by technical problems, but the outstanding ensemble singing of the company produced some memorable moments: One Day More, from Les Mis, the spinechilling Once We Were Kings, from Billy Elliott and The Ballad of Sweeney Todd were all outstanding.

You could have heard a pin drop during Leonie Harrison’s haunting solo, With You, from Ghost, while Elizabeth Ngero showed amazing vocal range in the title song from Love Never Dies. Francesca Denneny and Gary Robson got my vote for duet of the night with Mix Tape, from Avenue Q.

It seemed as if the programme after the interval had more depth, and the choice of some lesser-known numbers from more modern musicals meant that for much of the time the audience were actually listening, rather than singing along mentally. In some cases I felt that meant songs did not get the applause they deserved, as the audience were still mulling them over when the fast pace of the show moved you on to the next number.

Ruth Bennett