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Author: Andrew Kay

REVIEW: Rainbow Chorus – ‘Pergolesi and Pimms’

Posted on by Andrew Kay

Brighton & Hove’s community choirs are the jewels in the city’s music scene and they exemplify the truth about one of the world’s most commonly misused words. On 30 June, the Rainbow Chorus gave us the near perfect display of the reality. Their summer concert was delivered with passion, with commitment and from the heart. The word amateur means just that, done from passion and not for profit. Over the years it has been wrongly used to say that something is not very good, flawed perhaps and certainly not delivered by so-called ‘professionals’. And if you are in that camp then shape up and look again.

All this said I approached this concert with some trepidation. The Rainbows are loved for their spirited performances of pop and popular song, occasionally dipping their collective toes into something classical, but on the whole erring on the safe side of the musical repertoire. That is not to say that popular music does not pose challenges, it certainly can and some of the arrangements for choirs can be very challenging indeed…

…Then you get Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, a work that they would sing in full and in an arrangement by TB Pratt. This is music penned at the end of the baroque era as music morphed into what we now know as classical. It is beautiful and beautifully difficult, the time signatures complex, the tonality too with dissonances that at first seem strange but gradually reveal pure beauty.

Can a choir like the Rainbows do this? Well the answer soon became clear, they certainly can, and they did it with an air of confidence and style. No doubt there would be nerves borne of this bold move, but they did not show, and the audience, no doubt expecting a programme lighter in content, were blown away.

Accompanied by a first class string quartet formed by members of the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, Sophia Bartlette and Nikki Bates, first and second violin, Ros Hansen on viola and Siriol Hugh Jones on cello, they laid the solid foundation for this performance.

Stabat Mater is scored for two soprano soloists or two counter tenors, but conductor Aneesa Chaudhry explained that the solos would be spread across sopranos and tenors, she also explained that due to illness two of those solos would be sung by people who were stepping in with only 24 hours notice. Well I doubt anyone would have noticed had she not mentioned it. Deborah Harding-Newton was amazing as were Lisa Fitzgerald, Matthew McConkey and Phil Ulyatt, all equally impressive.

If this is pointing towards the future of this choir we are in for some very exciting times ahead.

Part two took us to the choir’s comfort zone but there was a marked difference in this performance. Back in the day, as an art student, my life was defined by life drawing, it was the fixed point in my education and underpinned everything that I was being taught – it was the discipline behind the fun, and doing it has always paid off.

Tackling the Pergolesi has maybe underpinned the choir’s musical development, there was a new confidence in their performance, a stronger sense of time, more confident pitching and with that came more smiles, less visible nerves and real joy, joy from discipline maybe.

Bring Me Sunshine set the tone, Mr Blue Sky, May It Be and then a very beautifully sung As Torrents In Summer from Elgar’s King Olaf, and why not, they proved they were up to this in part one.

Antony and The Johnsons‘ You Are My Sister, a wonderful song, again delightfully delivered before a few rollicking pop numbers.

Fix You brought us back to something more refined, Bohemian Rhapsody some fun and two songs from the musical Hair let rip some exuberant joy, then to finish a song I like from a show I dislike, but here This Is Me is totally appropriate and poignant.

The Rainbow Chorus have certainly set their own bar very high, but also for every other choir in town. Ambition realised!

REVIEW: Actually Gay Men’s Chorus: ‘Gays & Dolls’ at Brighton Open Air Theatre

Posted on by Andrew Kay

Actually Gay Men’s Chorus is never shy of shaking things up a little and last night’s concert at Brighton Open Air Theatre was no exception, but this time for a very different reason and one which I applaud.

Our LGBTQ+ choral scene has been for many years now, excellent, but at times somewhat polarised by gender, The Rainbow Chorus being one exception. Last night bucked that trend by inviting to join in the fun, three marvellous female vocalists.

It worked on several levels. Firstly, in a programme based on musical theatre it broadened the repertoire without making the singing of female roles by men a comedy act. That can be fun of course, but the joke can wear thin. So we got some great numbers ideally sung by women and I have to declare that they were all sung exceptionally well.

Secondly the addition of female voices when the three joined the male throng added extraordinary new dimensions, thrillingly so. Soprano voices soaring above the rich tones of a male voice choir are so dynamic.

Finally, on this point I applaud the element of inclusivity that the chorus have embraced on this occasion. Years and years of fighting for equality in my view does not mean exclusion so hats of to them for this.

Enough politics, let’s get on with the programme. It would be easy to programme a show tunes evening with predictable classics but this concert was peppered with some lesser known numbers and some of them a real test for the choir and for the soloists too. Of course there were big favourites: Mame, Hello Dolly, Luck Be A Lady and a smattering of Les Mis of course. But on top of this we got some great Sondheim and lesser known Kander and Ebb.

It was great to be reminded of how good Kiss Of The Spider Woman is and the guys who tackled the challenging duet Agony from Into The Woods did us proud.

I always enjoy hearing soloists from this choir and especially when the arrangement includes backing from the whole ensemble, it lifts it way above that sense of ‘karaoke’.

The three women totally nailed their ensemble and solo spots, a fun Independently Owned, a bitter sweet Ladies Who Lunch, the comedy classic Whatever Happened To My Part from Spamalot and a simply blistering Musetta’s Waltz and The Girl In 14G, the last two delivered with real style and vocal prowess by Karen Porchin.

The setting of Brighton Open Air Theatre worked well and thank heaven the weather cleared and saved us from an evening of singing in the rain!

Towards the end of the second half musical director Samuel Cousins dedicated two numbers, ‘Til I Hear You Sing and Bring Him Home, to the recently deceased and much loved Jason Sutton. It was a magical moment as two songbirds in trees on opposite sides of the arena joined in, adding to the whole rather movingly.

And for the finale a medley of Broadway hits to send us home smiling. All in all a great and fun evening. And if you did miss it you can catch an extended version, Overtures Encore, on the 21 and 22 June at St Mary’s in Kemptown where that excellent acoustics will further enhance the experience.

Flying the Flag: Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus on top form for Eurovision spectacular

Posted on by Andrew Kay

Well there could not have been a camper, more exuberant start to the festival than Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus‘ (BGMC) Eurovision spectacular. The choice of songs ranged from classics to the comic and back again and as an ensemble they were on top form.

The music team of Joe Paxton and Tim Nail gave us some extraordinarily effective arrangements of Eurovision pop that took pop romps and turned them into moving ballads. The feast of competition classics was bolstered by a clutch of ABBA numbers, not winners, but no doubt it was the Skandi popsters that put the heart back in the competition which had, 40 years ago this year, become somewhat jaded, so fair enough!

The evening opened by placing us on a flight to a Eurovision event, with the choir dressed as flight attendants and the captain Roger Gently, addressing us over the speakers. It was a joke that ran throughout and with stewards of conference delegates interrupting the music from time to time, and doing it well!

First number of course had to be Flying The Flag, the UK’s 2007 entry by Scooch that back them seemed awful but in this full on presentation made me think that it deserved to do far better. Next Bucks Fizz of course with Joe Paxton in scary bondage boots doing the classic reveal, enough said.

BGMC always deliver a set of excellent solos and the first on this occasion came from Christopher Furlong-Jones who delivered Is It True? with confidence and style, setting the bar high.

Boom Bang-a-Bang next and we were all in the mood, Lula inn. 1969 and all these years on, god I feel old, and the song is as good as ever.

Rod Edmunds next turning Brotherhood Of Man’s 1976 piece of nonsense into a moving ballad, Save All Your Kisses For Me was never done better.

Jonathan Taylor, who normally delivers something comic, this time nailed the Cliff Richard hit Congratulations, a cheesy number but done with class. And we have all come to expect something of quality from Andrew Farr, this time Barbara Pravi’s Voila. Farr truly masters that very French style, taking a chanson (me, apologies) to extraordinary heights that had the audience on their feet.

Graeme Clark, a quality singer and interpreter of song, gave us a real slice of Eurovision with Ding-a-dong and pulled it off, but for me it was nowhere near a good enough number for a singer of his quality. Part one ended with a thunderous Super Trouper.

And back for part two we had Gina G’s Just A Little Bit, a great reminder of how good British entries have been over the years, this qualified by Love Shine A Light, and we’re off on a second half that confirmed my feeling that the choir are really on top form, perhaps in part being so comfortable with the material being performed.

Ben Fowler next with Arcade, once more a totally convincing performance. Then Rise Like A Phoenix, packed with passion and drama, softly rising into full on power – excellent.

Yanis Sfakianakis gave us Molitva, an appropriate change of pace and tone after Conchita’s classic, and again a beautiful rendition.

After a bit more ABBA, Nick Ford was charged with singing the 2022 entry by Sam Ryder, the one we should have won, and in a sense we did as it brought the competition home to Liverpool. Space Man is no easy ride, soaring falsetto riffs are not easy but for Ford no issue and he simply nailed it, note perfect throughout but also making it his own.

No BGMC gig would be complete without humour, gags and sketches yes, but also a comedy song and last night we got good old Clodagh Rogers’ Jack In A Box. Four members of the chorus, comically choreographed and camp as the proverbial row of tents in silly dickies and pointed hats, had us laughing with joy.

Finally Heroes and then Euphoria, big bold anthems punched out with strength and conviction, enough to promote two encores. After a long week of theatre this was the boost that I really needed – fun, fine singing and passion. One thing I did note from last night’s programme is that the choir can swing, no, behave, not that kind of swing. What I mean is that they can deliver a song with pop rather than choral phrasing, it makes a huge difference to me, and they really can do it.

REVIEW: Resound & Rebelles: Peace, Hope and Christmas Jumpers

Posted on by Andrew Kay

Brighton’s choral scene has never been more buoyant and increasingly accomplished. And much of that success lies in hands of our incredible LGBTQ+ choirs. At Christmas they come out, forgive the allusion, and deliver festive treats with programmes that reflect the season from the  religious to the secular.

Resound is an all male ensemble that for years now has been raising the bar in terms of ambition and accomplishment and this season’s offering was yet another feast of sensational singing and giddy campery.

Resound are regularly joined by their sister choir Rebelles, not LGBTQ+ as such but falling clearly and supportingly in the camp of allies. The combination of the two groups when singing together delivers that full power of choral music and together they show masterly skill and artistry.

This time round we were treated to some extraordinary singing from each choir individually and again when they join forces. The programme was to say the least eclectic. Sam Barton works closely with the choir in choosing their repertoire but is perhaps the force behind some of their choices and hence some of the more exacting and ambitious pieces selected.

Last night we had Tippet, Britten, Holst and Rachmaninov, stirring stuff delivered with real power and style. It is always something of a surprise and indeed a mystery how these performers get their heads around not only singing but learning pieces in unfamiliar languages and last night we had church Slavonic and Haitian!

Alongside their more classic and challenging, and perhaps no less challenging choices, we get a selection of popular pieces, some serious yes and some, well some silly. Cyndi Lauper’s Christmas Conga perhaps the silliest and in my view not best placed as their final offering bar that excellent and rousing encore.

In a rock solid evening of music there are always highlights too and moments less so. Rebelles delivered a stunning arrangement of Stand By Me with a soaring solo at the climax that proved that white women can sing soul, a spine tingling moment for sure. In contrast the lovely Billy Joel song And So It Goes came late in the second set and the quiet and pure arrangement left a choir, no doubt already exhausted, rather exposed with some tiny pitching issues. It’s a minor quibble and one that I suspect would not have arisen had the piece been delivered earlier in the evening.

What it does prove though is that both individually and collectively Rebelles and Resound are at the very forefront of the city’s community choirs when it comes to programming and performance.

Full praise must be given to their choral leaders Sam Barton and Antonia Hyatt and their accomplished pianist Howard Beach with Francesca Urquhart on double bass and Tom Hyatt on percussion. An excellent evening of music, a terrifyingly ghastly array of Christmas jumpers and proof once again that this lot are the choir to see.

REVIEW: Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus – ‘SINGDERELLA’

Posted on by Andrew Kay

‘Tis the season to be choral, yes Christmas brings out all our excellent community choirs in a festive feast. Regular readers will have spotted the review of the World AIDS Day concert at St Mary’s in Kemptown, a taster menu of what’s to come and my word are we in for a treat.

A treat that came to pass in the rammed Dome Concert Hall for Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) and their annual Christmas show.

I’ll start by saying that at last the choir have found a sound and lighting team that can deliver a slick and faultless show, it sounded good and looked brilliant, a sparkling and professional presentation that any pro company would be proud of.

I will also deal with a previous bugbear of mine, that being the comedy sketches that BGMC always include. This time they were pretty much spot on, better written, better conceived and far better delivered. I loved the fairy drag mother idea and the rough, northern, downbeat diva was hilarious as was the charmingly camp prince and his world weary aide de camp, although as a pantomime scholar I will point out that Buttons works for the baron and the prince’s aide is called Dandini, Picky Picky Picky!

On then to the music and what a way to get me tearfully onside. Starting with O Holy Night brings back childhood memories of Dad and Auntie Nellie at the piano fuelled by Harvey’s Bristol Cream. And true to form it brought tears to my eyes.

BGMC are a powerful choir, huge in number and capable of delivering the sort of massive sound that one might expect from a Welsh male voice ensemble. That sound was there for sure but there was also something that I have occasionally found lacking and that is balance, a sense of dynamics that comes from being as precise in the quieter moments as they are when belting out a big popular number.

There were a few moments where perhaps the timing drifted just a little but these were few and for the most part they were on top form.

Highlights with BGMC are often found in the well chosen solos; this time was no exception. We had a first class Sondheim duet from John McPherson and Rod Edmunds and another duet of Only You from Andrew Farr and Jonathan Taylor. A tear inducing moment with a very fine version of Joni Mitchell’s River from Ben Fowler, a powerful Your Hallelujah from Jonathan Claxton, a classic and charming Till There Was You from Rod Edmunds, delightful phrasing from Adam Betteridge with a Christmas classic and once again the pure beauty of voice and theatre from Graeme Clark with The Lies Of Handsome Men.

The music team of Joe Paxton, Tim Nail and Josh Mills are driving this choir forward with confident hands and wringing from them some very fine ensemble pieces as well as those solos. And praise must also be given to some very well crafted arrangement from the music team.

This was a fully satisfying evening, a few very forgivable wobbles along the way, an audience of fans sadly peppered with rude whisperers, and what appeared to be a party of the seriously incontinent, but despite all that a great night out.

REVIEW: World AIDS Day concert at St Mary’s Church, Kemptown

Posted on by Andrew Kay

This annual World AIDS Day concert is just a small part of a massive global movement, the aim of which is to remember those lost to the AIDS pandemic and remind us that there is a huge community still, men and women living with HIV, men and women working to find cures and better treatments, and men and women in the voluntary sector providing services and support. It’s a moving event as well as a joyous one, an act of remembrance and an act of celebration.

As ever the city’s LGBTQ+ choirs and music groups and our allies gather at St Mary’s Church in Kemptown for an evening of great music. This year the show, compèred by John Borthwick, who also gave us a couple of numbers of his own, was opened by Resound.

Resound never fail to impress with their pitch perfect performances, but more importantly their precise use of dynamics. They can deliver with punch of course but they are equally impressive when singing sotto, so delicate, so delightful. And they are ambitious in their programming, this is a choir working at the very highest level.

Next came Rebelles, often heard performing with Resound but here singing alone, and what an impression they make. A few hesitant starts could easily be dismissed when they hit their stride and what a blistering solo voice that soared above an impressive arrangement of Stand By Me, Ben E King must have been smiling down on them.

The first half was rounded off by Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus and as ever this group certainly know who to deliver an impressive programme, starting with a powerful rendition of Just Can’t Get Enough. Theirs is a full sound, solid and strong and last night they were in fine voice.

After a short break with mulled wines and fruit punch, all delivered by local HIV charity Lunch Positive, the charity organisation who will receive support from the event, things opened up with the Rainbow Chorus.

Rainbow Chorus is an extraordinary group, totally inclusive and very ambitious too. They started with a very fine performance of May It Be from Lord Of The Rings and they set the bar high not only for their own set but for the second half. Seal Lullaby was charmingly delivered, Rhythm Of Life was a crowd-pleasing musical romp and they topped it all off with the challenging and complex Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye), which they nailed, no small feat!

Qukulele had the tough challenge of following, from a full on choral explosion to four musicians armed with tiny instruments. They looked terrified and that fear showed in their set, numbers that added humour to the evening but would have been bettered had they looked less terrified. But they were there, and they usually are, adding their own support to such a worthwhile event.

Next was the Actually Gay Men’s Chorus, always impressive, always smartly turned out and always a pleasure to listen to. Their set featured two solos, the only ones of the evening save for Mr Borthwick, and they both received huge applause.

To round off the evening the entire stage filled with all of the evening’s performers and they joined forces to give us a massive arrangement of Bernstein and Sondheim’s Tonight and Somewhere that sent us out into the night with a seasonal glow.

It would be wrong of me not to pay tribute to another member of the assembled team, the remarkable Marco Nardi. Marco is a BSL signer who brings something very special to the world of signing, it is often hard not to draw you eyes away from him and his dancing style.

This is always a five star event; five stars for the performers – for their dedication and their support; five stars for Lunch Positive; and the biggest five stars for what this all means.

REVIEW: ‘2:22 A Ghost Story’ @ Theatre Royal Brighton

Posted on by Andrew Kay

With the world currently filled with broomsticks and pumpkins, an Americanism that has replaced my particular love of turnip lanterns, and for you southerners, read swede for turnip, what could be better than a good ghost story?

And 2:22 A Ghost Story is a very good and very well crafted ghost story. Beautifully presented, designed and delivered, it does exactly what one might hope for – it mystifies, surprises and, at moments, shocks and, as a reviewer, to say more about the play would be doing audiences a disservice. I baulk at reviews that tell the story at the best of times, but with this kind of piece it would be disgraceful.

So all that said, and I really did enjoy this appropriately seasonal work, I had one or two misgivings.

Firstly the pitch at which the play is delivered. From the get go three of the characters are shouting, so much so that when the plot starts to develop and the anxiety and anger emerges there is nowhere for them to go. It’s full on from page one!

Against this however is the character of Ben, the working class builder made good, played so well by Joe Absolom who was recently here in The Shawshank Redemption and more than proved his worth as an actor. This time he doubles that with a measured performance that tips the balance of the story as Ben gradually opens up.

Scarily I was convinced that I had actually made eye contact with him in the foyer before the show, but he was surely in the wings… or it was a ghost…

Charlene Boyd is delightfully damaged as American psychiatrist Lauren, lurching into drunkenness through the fateful dinner party. Louisa Lytton’s fragility is tangible too and grows in intensity as events fail to be explained, and Nathaniel Curtis is every inch the arrogant academic Sam trying to debunk everyone’s willingness to believe in life after death yet at the same time protect his wife and infant daughter.

As for that infant, well here I return to my misgivings about the volume. How any child would be able to sleep through that amount of shouting is beyond belief… but then again this is a ghost story and all about belief.

2:22 A Ghost Story is showing at Theatre Royal Brighton till October 28. Tickets HERE

REVIEW: Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus: AFTER DARK @ St George’s Church, Kemptown

Posted on by Andrew Kay

With a promise of a burlesque theme in the programme of their new show After Dark, and the venue dressed to look like a Parisian cabaret theatre, it came as something of a relief that most of Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) kept most of their clothes on. That said, well let’s not go there yet shall we.

BGMC always put on a show and on this occasion they took a very different route by ditching the comedy skits, an element that has not always worked, and choosing a strong theme and an equally sturdy compère in the shape of Mr David Rumelle – a seasoned performer with a fine voice and presence. Giving him two solo numbers was a great idea as he really nailed them both.

The theme of After Dark gave the chorus chance to explore some rather more demanding numbers too, especially in the second half when they reappeared dressed in… well let’s say dressed and semi dressed in a motley assortment of styles held together by a palette of black and purple. And what a sight it was, ranging from sexy to scary, very scary.

All this of course without mentioning the music, and on this occasion they were on top form. Their major ensemble numbers powerful as ever but also they are these days embracing the quieter moments with increased confidence and skill. The programme included some of their previous repertoire, firm favourites with both them and with their loyal audience, but there was plenty new material to enjoy and of course there were solos too and what great solos they were.

Some of the voices perhaps a little too strong for just a simple piano accompaniment but all of them very good indeed. It seems rude to mention just a few but equally rude to not heap praise on Graeme Clark for his rendition of Rough and Ready Man, boy the guy can sing but not only that, he can deliver a number with a theatricality that is pure magic. Then John McPherson gave a chilling version of Creep that had the hairs on my neck on end. His performance was equally dramatic but by employing total physical reserve, breathtaking stuff to be sure.

The second half also showed the choir tackling some far darker material too and truly exploring the theme of the evening. Of course there were moments of lightness, an hysterical and well choreographed Just a Little had us roaring with laughter and in part two a truly bonkers rendition of Lady Marmalade by four guys who bravely sported basques in a way that should perhaps never be repeated, well not in public anyway.

Musical director Tim Nail and chorus master Joe Paxton keep this fine chorus on a steady keel and their focus on using their own and exclusive arrangements is a credit to them and a word should said too for another great arrangement, this time of the Annie Lennox number No More I Love Yous by baritone Sadao Ueda.

BGMC is a fine ensemble and one the city should be proud of. Their passion and dedication is exemplary, a fine night of entertainment

REVIEW: Actually Gay Men’s Chorus: ‘Together For Christmas’

Posted on by Andrew Kay

What a joy to be treated to an evening simply packed with traditional festive merriment, well I say traditional but there were some fascinatingly untraditional arrangements in there that put a broad smile on my face.

Of late, LGBTQ+ community chorus Actually Gay Men’s Chorus (AGMC) has been doing a lot of that, they have raised the bar not only for themselves but for others too. Together With Christmas at St Mary’s Church in Kemptown started with O Holy Night which for personal reasons always makes me cry, so within moments the handkerchief was in play, and would you believe it they ended with a further rousing chorus of the same so as the lights came up those around me could spot me mopping away the tears. To be fair the AGMC version is infinitely better than that of my father and aunty Nelly, but the effect is the same.

It is exactly that sound created in this rousing carol that marks this choir so high, they simply have a full and powerful sound that speaks conviction and proves practice. It has, when at full belt, the power and resonance of say a Welsh male voice choir. And they put it to very good use. But there is also lightness of touch too and humour, they move easily from moving to mirth with practised elegance.

AGMC also includes some very fine solos and soloists but what marks them apart and often above are their arrangements and many of these are down to chorus master Samuel Cousins and accompanist Simon Gray. I was particularly captivated by one arrangement this time around that had that 1950s American musical theatre vibe to it and would not have felt out of place in a show like Seven Brides For Seven Brothers!

The balance of traditional festive fare to pop was well judged too with the pop element being on the whole restricted to medleys, always fun but never as impressive as a familiar carol or a number like Little Drummer Boy or Do You Hear What I Hear where the choir nail some fine and complex arrangements.

The soloists chosen also reflect a commitment to inclusivity, they are all good in their own way and some soaringly so. Andrew Whitelaw surely had a West End career in a previous life, and whilst not all reaching his confident delivery they all have quality and commitment and all are moving.

The addition of Maria Dunn on keyboard and Darrell Morris on percussion to Simon Gray’s piano adds further fullness to the sound and in Samuel Cousins’ hands this choir is proving to be the one to watch.

REVIEW: Actually Gay Men’s Chorus: ‘Nobody Does It Better’

Posted on by Andrew Kay

I’ve often written that the heart of a community choir is in the spirit that they evoke, that sense of collective endeavour and of joy. Actually Gay Men’s Chorus (AGMC) has always shown that spirit and that intention but this time with their vocal tribute to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at St Mary’s Church in Kemptown what was really clear was that the choir has come of age. This was a concert of quality in every sense. The programme was well judged, the presentation was stylish and the music… well let’s take a closer look.

Opening with Parry’s arrangement of I Was Glad was a stunning and powerful start to the evening and my god, they delivered it with heart, demonstrating that the chorus has both power and balance. That power and balance continued to be demonstrated in Anthem from the musical Chess and then a medley of Lloyd Webber hits culminating in the first of an evening of excellent solos as Andrew Whitlaw came forward to perform Sunset Boulevard. Whitlaw’s voice is excellent but he can also perform a song with the skill of an actor, a couple of simple and understated gestures brought the whole thing to life.

I also love the fact that AGMC use the whole choir in the arrangement of their solo choices adding real depth to each.
It’s at this point that I am struck by three things they are displaying – dynamics, precision and phrasing; the third lifting the evening above the a bar that they are already setting high. Phrasing to me is the element that makes all the difference, the acknowledgement that delivering the notes is not quite enough when looking to achieve a really stellar performance. Bring Him Home does just this, Les Mis done with style and with quality, and This Is The Hour does much the same.

Compère for the evening John Borthwick then adds his voice to Lionel Bart’s Oom Pah Pah, adding a suitable moment of levity at this point and nailing it.

I’m no fan of Hushabye Mountain but the solo from Ian Groves is good and the choir really achieves that lush cinematic sound to the performance.

The first half concludes with a trio of Bond themes: Chris Tippett gives us Skyfall, a challenge that he rises to; Chris Jones and Michael Wates make a duet of Diamonds Are Forever; as do Gavin Bennet-Mason and James McFarlane with Nobody Does It Better, and I dare say few could have done it much better.

After the interval, and with a stylish change of costumes, they return with World in Union led by Ian Hollands. This popularised anthem, taken from Holst, is moving stuff to be sure and AGMC get it spine tinglingly right.

John Borthwick then comes forward to punch out the Tom Jones hit Delila, showing a very fine upper register and excellent diction too, there’s nothing ‘karaoke’ about any of this evening to be sure.

Next a slice of Queen for the Queen with a cleverly constructed arrangement of their hits, culminating of course with a slab of Bohemian Rhapsody. Again the section delivered with punch and precision.

Then taking things gently down Nick Paget gives us Elton John’s Your Song in a charmingly delicate performance that is followed by Carl Jenkins’ Benedictus, again a quality rendition. The penultimate offering, Read All About It led by Philip Davis, was stirring stuff.

The finale arrives with a readily recognised theme, a spot of Sweet Dreams that leads into a smile inducing medley of British Eurovision hits (thankfully resisting that saucy reveal when it comes to Making Your Mind Up, or maybe not…).

The whole evening is a triumph, the musical accompaniment from Simon Gray, Maria Dunn and Huw Jones are well thought through and performed, and Samuel Cousins‘ role as both musical director and arranger is very fine indeed, taking this accomplished chorus to a level of professionalism that deserves the standing ovation they received. I look forward to where they go next after seeing and hearing this first class, five-star performance.

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