Press release for FABULOUS! Cabaret from the Rainbow Chorus
FABULOUS! its name and fabulous it was. Held on Saturday 21 April, the Rainbow Chorus’ first fundraiser cabaret was an absolute triumph, from the quality of the acts performing generously free of charge on the night through to the mouth-watering food served up by long-time community partner Lunch Positive. Swapping St George’s Church for Knoyle Hall, the Rainbow Chorus transformed the space into a buzzing cabaret night spot assisted by a troop of volunteers who donated time, skills, talent and muscle power to produce a successful event, all part of the choir’s 21st anniversary celebrations.
The entertainment was as varied as the Brighton choir’s own repertoire we have come to know through the years, the performers all giving up their time for free to raise funds for the choir. Opening the show was Andrew Farr with his tribute to Edith Piaff, rolling his r’s to gutsy effect. From a French chanteuse to a British icon, another BGMC bass Nick Ford delivered a performance that included a spine-tingling rendition of Kate Bush’s seminal Wuthering Heights (so spine-tingling in fact some neighbours popped in to enquire whether THE Kate Bush was performing!). Pride’s Got Talent semi-finalist Max Legroom was next up but made a last-minute cancellation, so the evening continued with David Stewart who magicked and mesmerised the audience, who were then left scratching their heads wondering how on earth did he do that? He was followed by another Pride’s Got Talent semi-finalist Hannah Brackenbury (aptly described as Victoria Wood & Tim Minchin’s lesbian love child) performing a witty comedy set that had the crowd in stitches. There’s another chance to see her in the Brighton Fringe and we highly recommend you go. If you haven’t seen Aneesa Chaudhry and Mojca Monte Amali perform as Bliss Art, then you’ve missed a treat. They lived up to their billing as a crazy, fun and passionate clash of the music titans. Something Fishy, featuring Eliza Marz, ‘Fingers’ Finlay, and Lara Montage and Dickie Bladder reunited specially to support the Rainbow Chorus, brought the evening to a hilarious end with some witty and gloriously irreverent cabaret pop songs. All of the above was kept jogging along in perfect time by experienced compere Kate Hendry Ballard.
A delicious dinner of Mediterranean chicken or vegan ratatouille with rice and scrummy breads was all cooked up by the team from Lunch Positive led by the ever-cheerful Gary Pargeter. The HIV support lunch club has always supported the Rainbow Chorus and indeed other choirs in Brighton and Hove, especially on World AIDS Day.
There were also prizes to be won. Not only did the Rainbow Chorus’ cabaret production team organise one of their signature hamper raffle prizes, audience members also had a chance to buy tickets for the Grand Prize Draw recently launched as another fundraising activity to mark the choir’s 21st birthday. At £2 a pop, a ticket might win a holder one of 10 prizes, ranging from one week’s accommodation for two in Malta to a photography package with Liza O’Malley to a memory bear made by Richard Clark-Monks. Visit the Rainbow Chorus website for more details*.
The Rainbow Chorus are bursting with thanks to everyone involved, from the cabaret team who worked their socks off to make it happen—and in particular production manager extraordinaire Chick Atkinson, Katy Jenner and Liza O’Malley for their cracking organisation and enthusiasm, and sound team Rob, Dave and Andy.
The funds raised by the cabaret will go towards supporting everything the Rainbow Chorus do, from running concerts and keeping their concession rate as low as possible to covering operating costs such as music rights.
Bev Morgan, Chair said ‘It was such a fantastic evening – one of those times when there’s such a wonderful spirit of community and friends coming together. We would like to thank everyone involved for being so amazing and for all giving their time so generously and freely. We raised over £2,300 which will make a huge difference to the Rainbow Chorus, thank you from the bottom of our rainbow hearts! Everyone had such a brilliant time we are already thinking we may try and make this an annual event’.
The Rainbow Chorus will be singing at IDAHOBIT on Thursday 17 May and then at their summer concert, aptly named ‘21’, on Saturday 14 July.
For more information about the Rainbow Chorus and future events and performance, or if you’d like to volunteer or sponsor them, please see their website or contact them via their Chair, Bev Morgan, at chair@rainbowchorus.org.uk
* https://www.rainbowchorus.org.uk/the-rainbow-chorus-21st-anniversary-grand-prize-draw-2018/
Contact details:
Chair: Bev Morgan chair@rainbowchorus.org.uk
Media & Comms: Justin Hillier presspr@rainbowchorus.org.uk
You tube: www.youtube.com/user/TheRainbowchorus
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Rainbowchorus
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rainbowchorus
Web: www.rainbowchorus.org.uk
Notes to editors:
The Rainbow Chorus is the biggest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) choir in the south outside of London. The choir aims to provide an enjoyable and supportive environment for LGBT members to sing together, making new friends, developing their community spirit, individual talents and confidence. Through performance, the Rainbow Chorus also raises the profile of the LGBT community in Brighton & Hove as well as providing top quality entertainment. The Rainbow Chorus is supported by the Big Lottery and the Rainbow Fund.
Musical director: Aneesa Chaudhry.
Accompanist: Mojca Monte Amali.
