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Nocturne

Voice Project Choir, Norwich Cathedral Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 16 December 2013 A nocturne is a picture evoking the night, lyrical, dreamy music. Ten songs from the Voice Project Choir filled the Cathedral’s chapels, cloisters and nave, evoking every emotion in the human heart. It was a promenade concert, the audience subtly guided by the call of a new piece in the near distance to move on to a fresh experience. Cloaked singers with candles lined the way, sustaining a haunting, repeated motif. Sharon Durrant, Rebecca Askew, Sian Croose, Helen Chadwick, Katherine Zerserson, Dave Camlin and Jon Baker, who also wrote much of the music, led, took solos and the intimate harmonies. In the opening chamber they were scattered among the audience, making us part of the performance, sharing the night of … Read entire article »

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A Christmas Spectacular

Lowestoft Players at The Bethel Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 11 December 2013 This is the season of pantos and Christmas shows and The Lowestoft Players bring their own ‘Thursford’ to the warm intimacy of their theatre building. They have established this spectacular entertainment as an absolute highlight, a traditional Christmas variety with new angles. It embraces the audience in loving arms and sweeps them along in a range of songs, dancing, sketches and readings, each one given the Players’ treatment of quality, style and meaning. The show plays on memories of Christmas past, the child-like innocence of the season while dipping into the catalogue of great Christmas classic melodies to create a feast of pure entertainment. One minute we are laughing, the next we have a lump in the throat. The sequence from … Read entire article »

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Miracle on 34th Street

Marina Theatre, Lowestoft Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 6 December 2013 As an appetiser for the Christmas and pantomime season and an example of how almost anything can be turned into a musical, Franklin Productions brought a staged version of the 1947 movie to Lowestoft before visiting Norwich next week. It’s a simple, heart-warming tale. An old gentleman working in Macy’s famous toy store claims to be the real Santa Claus. He is put in an insane asylum and a lawyer takes up his case in court to prove he is the real deal. Sitting alongside The Snowman and It’s a Wonderful Life the film has become a perennial family favourite, originally entitled The Big Heart in Britain. The show could follow. With singing, dancing, some jokes, fast-moving scenery changes and lashings of … Read entire article »

Filed under: Reviews