Our second trip to Wilton's Music Hall in a week was another joyful evening - in the company of the London Gay Big Band and a whole array of marvellous guest vocalists, as they treated us to A Night at the Musicals.
Although a little late for Gay Pride month [no idea when it became a month-long event, but hey ho], the focus was on songs that have had significant meaning for gay audiences over the years, and/or sung by gay icons - so it was fitting that the show opened with an overture of numbers from musical films starring Judy Garland, and the bill was peppered with anthems such as MegaBabs Don't Rain On My Parade, Liza's Cabaret, Dinah Washington/Noel Coward's Mad About the Boy, and songs from West End, Broadway and film musicals old and new - everything from Sondheim to Six!
In the role of MC, as well as one of our performers, was the simply marvellous Mr Carl Mullaney (who was superb as "Albin" in the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of La Cage Aux Folles). His voice is remarkable, as is that of another of our singers Mr Tom Duern (a regular in Sacha Regan's all-male Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, we saw him (at Wilton's, again) in both HMS Pinafore and The Pirates of Penzance). What better way to showcase all that talent than with a very camp number from the aforementioned Six: The Musical, in which both boys appear?
An alumnus from the original production of that show, Ms Renée Lamb was also on the bill last night. Her voice is powerful [even if she does suffer a bit from the dreaded "Whitney Wibble" (melisma)], and, even though there is no online footage of her singing it, she did rather well on this modern gay anthem:
The London Gay Big Band, tootling away.
Another of last night's performers, the rather glamorous Miss Emma Hatton has a magnificent voice - and put it to particularly spectacular use, on this uplifting [geddit?!] number, that she first performed in Wicked ten years ago:
However, it was the uber-talented Alison Jiear who we were looking forward to the most of all! She unfortunately didn't perform I Just Wanna Fucking Dance for us (although she did read out a few of the lyrics), but every time she appeared on stage, she showed the young 'uns what it means to be a true legend. And speaking of "camp musical classics":
One of the songs she performed was a completely new one on us, but she did it brilliantly - here's the original:
And then - there's this:
The last word must, of course, go to the faboo Carl Mullaney (again) - who did indeed close the show with this, the biggest and best gay anthem of them all!
We absolutely adored every minute of this show - what a fab way to end a week!
A truly Fabulous evening. the singers the band and the choice of songs were all wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYour choice of videos capture the delight of the evening.
PS
How did we miss Alison Jiear appearing at the 'Crazy Coqs' that must have been amazing.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video selection! It was a brilliant night, indeed, and I'm so pleased we went. Jx
DeletePS I checked back, and it seems we were in Essex visiting Beth Chatto's Garden while Miss Jiear was on at Crazy Coqs. Must look out for her on the bill again...