This review appeared in The Penarth Times in October 2005

 

The voices of the audience and performers combined to raise the roof at the Paget Rooms last weekend, when the Concept Players held their very first Gilbert and Sullivan Sing-a-long evening. Members of the company, together with local guest soloists, including Cliff Blaney, John Richardson and Clive Riches, entertained the audience with a whole raft of everyone's favourite G & S selections. But what made the evening really special was the rousing way in which the audience joined in all the well-known choruses from HMS Pinafore to the Pirates of Penzance, from Iolanthe to the Mikado.

One of the highlights of the evening was a performance of the overture from HMS Pinafore, arranged for singers rather than an orchestra, by the guest conductor for the evening, John Murray. This piece proved to be a tour-de-force, showing off the enormous musical talent of the Concept Players, and raising one of the biggest cheers of the night.

Another of the high spots was the trio, I am so Proud, from the Mikado, turned into a Generation Game competition for all-comers. Eventually, it turned from a trio into an octet, giving the opportunity for some outrageous over-acting by various members of the group, and the volunteers from the audience, all of whom have requested to remain anonymous!

But don't be fooled into thinking that this was just an excuse for some high-spirited larking about the quality of the choral singing was second to none, and highlighted the enormous depth of talent that the Concept Players bring to every performance they present.  The audience went away knowing that they had been present at a very special event in the musical calendar.