Theatre Review: A Chronicle in Concert
A Chronicle in Concert
St Andrews Musical Theatre Society
18/11/24
Laidlaw Music Centre, St Andrews
Directed by Joe Atkinson and Kylie Lam
Produced by Sarah Callahan
Vocal directors: Abi Collins and Hannah Lam
Bandleader: Lorna Richardson
Review by Chloe Annan
On Sunday 17th November 2024, St Andrews’ Music Theatre Society (MusT) put on a punchy encore of their annual “A Chronicle in Concert”. Under the direction of producer, Sarah Callahan, and conducted by orchestral musical director Ross Donaldson, student performers and instrumentalists took the audience on an immersive tour of songs from the Golden Age of Broadway theatre.
Much to my delight, MusT’s eclectic musical assemblage traversed the romantic exposition of West Side Story, Cabaret, and Oklahoma all the way to the bleak lamentations of Miss Saigon. In all, the evening was a raging success. The cohesion of the evenings’ design with the masterful technique of the performers made for an enjoyable, yet surprising, rendition of Western theatre’s most seminal performances.
The meticulous organisation of the event was immediately apparent – rows of black-clad performers filed onto the stage, settling into their seats as the lighting rose, masterfully manipulated by Luke Lynch. Callahan’s preface to each piece was the perfect balance of information and intrigue – this lens indubitably strengthened our conception of sound, tonality and rhythm within the songs.
The choral symphony kicked off the night with a fabulous rendition of “Overture to Candide” from West Side Story – a cult classic since the play’s first Broadway production in 1961. The musicality of the orchestra was obvious – the playful melody of the first violin and flute accompanied by brass superadded to the musical narrative of Leonard Bernstein’s epic. The bass in both string and brass underpinned the piece – ploughing a metronomic tone and adding richness to the main melody. Ultimately, this piece started the concert off as it was meant to go on – with hearty bass, good rhythm, cohesive and skilful execution, and ending with an exuberant crescendo.
The performance of “Tonight” from West Side Story was similarly impressive. This piece was initially sung in turn by the quintet; the introduction of close, overlapping harmonies builds to the pieces’ revelations about love. The tenors in this piece, (including Seb Roberts, Ben Hayes, Matthew Colquhoun and Dylan Swain) were especially strong. Their belting notes and impressive vocal range, accompanied by the swell of the orchestra, aptly conveyed emotion. Stylistically, Eleanor White’s portrayal of Maria nicely juxtaposed the rich sound of her male counterparts. Her strong soprano and controlled breathwork tempered the bass (in vocals and orchestra), uplifting the overall sound of the piece. The expressiveness of the orchestra amplified the effect of the piece, especially the staccato which was in keeping with the duality of portrayal of genders within the lyric. In sum, this rendition was thoroughly enjoyable.
Throughout the performance, the skill and dedication of the orchestra, the vocalists, the upper voice chorus (featuring Eve Cormack and Kate Nolting), and the main chorus were unmistakable. All performers displayed their technical virtuosity and profound empathy with every piece. Due to authorial constraints, I cannot review every piece in their concert. However, that is not to say that any other were deficient by comparison. So, I have selected a few that were distinct and impressionable to me.
Hanna Ward playing Laurey and Guy Minch playing Curly in “People Will Say We’re In Love” from Oklahoma! was a match made in heaven. The general impression of the duet was its ease and softness. The controlled vibrato and good tonality of the vocalists were cohesive with the orchestra, culminating in this romantic sound that was perfect for the context. I distinctly liked the clarity of the pieces’ expression and the dulce musicality of the couple’s voices combined with the string melody and brass refrain.
Jaz Willans’ portrayal of Kim in “The Movie In My Mind” from Miss Saigon perfectly conveyed the quiet, melancholy tone of the piece. The muffled vibrato created an impression of pensiveness, superadded to by the smoothness of the flutes, cello and double bass. Harriet Edwards’ Gigi was similarly compelling – her soprano, accompanied by trumpets, lifted the piece to its apogee. The crowd loved this one, and for good reason. It was executed with sensitivity and musical virtuosity.
Straying from the emotive intensity of past songs, “Good Morning” from Singin’ in the Rain was chirpy, catchy and lots of fun. Iain Cunningham as Cosmo, Lily Bates as Don, and Olivia Clark as Kathy created a conversational tone which narrated how the trios’ plotting had taken them through the night and into the morning. I really enjoyed the sliding notes of the trombone and the pattering drums in the refrain of ‘good morning’ – reinforcing the playful activity of the piece. The vocalists sitting to the side after their ‘scene’ heightened my appreciation for the orchestra – it took on a jazzy, big band quality which created a booming, yet rounded sound.
Finally, the swan song of the evening was Natacha Gamby and Anna Thompson playing Dolly in “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” from Hello, Dolly! This piece was a culmination of the ensembles’ mixed skills – it was overtly musical, collaborative, and succeeded in raising the roof.
In sum, MusT’s “A Chronicle in Concert” was dynamic, cohesive and meticulously rehearsed; the selection of show tunes was masterful and the conductor and producers were clearly immensely capable. All of this made for an uplifting night of show tunes and nostalgia. I hope it continues in future years!
