By Sophie Green, Third Year, English
For its tenth year in a row, Musical Theatre Bristol returned with more stellar performances that are sure to impress anyone lucky enough to score a ticket.
The evening celebrated a decade of MTB’s Showcase, an annual student-led show displaying outstanding vocal, acting, and dance performances from six beloved musicals. Despite this now being a highly anticipated annual event, they have yet to run out of material. The show brimmed with variety, offering witty comedy, gripping drama, heartfelt romance, and vocals and dance that left the audience buzzing for more.
The show’s selection swung from the dazzling yet tragic glamour of Moulin Rouge to the NYC classic, Guys and Dolls. It also featured personal favourites, Legally Blonde and Chicago, where the staggering talent of the ensemble dancers shined brightest. Surprisingly memorable features included Come From Away and cult classic, Heathers. This combination of classics and more recent break-out hits kept the evening varied and fresh.
The show's opening number, 'Lady Marmalade' from Moulin Rouge left an explosive first impression. The ensemble's fierce vocals matched their execution of striking choreography, bringing this infamous kingdom of night time pleasure to life. Their can-can left me wondering which could go higher - their vocal belts or their kicks.
A standout was Maddi Jabir as Satine, embodying this iconic character with soulful vocals that made her death scene all the more tragic. I'd apologise for the spoiler, but it was too good not to mention. Her chemistry with co-cast member, Cooper Brown as Christian was also gripping. Their two's voices melted together in a rendition of 'Your Song', that gave a new appreciation for what is, admittedly, lower-ranked in my list of jukebox musicals. Felix Glanville also stood out as the charismatic show-runner, Harold Zidler, oozing star-power and on par at times with Broadbent's performance in the musical's 2001 film adaptation.
Guys and Dolls was a show I was not so familiar with, but this cast highlighted to me why it is named one of the best musicals of all time -if this was the zeal and comedy offered by students, I can only imagine how much I'd love the real thing. Mali Rowland was endearing, funny, and vocally impressive as Sarah Brown, a disenchanted missionary who finds herself falling in love with Sky Masterson (Archie Meikle), a lucky gambler who has bet on being able to take her to Havana. Rowland's performance of 'If I Were a Bell' did the original Broadway rendition by Isabel Bigley plenty more than justice.
Besides the main characters, a personal favourite was Esther Harris as Nicely-Nice Johnson in 'Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat', a song depicting a gambler imagining his chaotic journey to heaven. The cast’s teamwork was evident in this number, brimming with dizzying coordination, larger-than-life physical comedy, and obvious enthusiasm.
Closing Act 1 was one of the evening’s absolute highlights, Chicago. This production has been a musical behemoth since its 1975 opening on Broadway, but this legacy clearly didn't daunt this evening’s cast. From the first few bars of 'All That Jazz', I was grinning. Faz Henderson as Velma Kelly led a beautifully-clad ensemble, embodying the sass, danger, and dancerly precision needed for this beloved number. Clad in red gloves with a sultry vocal performance, Henderson was magnetic, as was Maddie Nash playing Roxie Hart. She truly transformed into everyone's favourite murderous showgirl, and her chemistry with her co-star made for performances that were equal parts homicidal and glamorous.
Billy Flynn (Ollie Binnie) was also show-stealing. His vocal range in 'Razzle Dazzle' drove the audience -myself included!- to eruptive applause before he'd finished his final note. His puppeteering of Roxie Hart in 'We Both Reached For The Gun' was both hilarious and well coordinated. Though the increasing tempo of the famous number is tricky, the ensemble pulled it off well, this being the only dip in what was otherwise the jewel of the evening choreography-wise.
Following such talent was no easy feat, but the cast of Heathers kept up the momentum for Act 2. Lauren Shepherdson was powerful as Veronica Sawyer and had the vocals to match. I often wince when anticipating amateur renditions of the show's opening number, 'Beautiful'- its complex vocal layering and soaring high notes are difficult for even the most seasoned professionals, but the cast surprised me with their agility, range, and synergy.
The feared and worshipped mean girls, The Heathers, made for a dynamic trio. Their comedic chemistry got frequent laughs, and Evie Clark's vocals as Heather Chandler during 'Candy Store' were particularly memorable. Daisy Bayer was perfectly mean and girlish as Heather Macnamara, and Phoebe Taylor (Heather Duke) was deliciously megalomaniacal in her performance of 'Never Shut Up Again', depicting the second-in-command's rise to power. Though I was sad to miss 'Dead Girl Walking', which I’m sure Shepherdson would have more than pulled off, this section showed the true depth of talent among Bristol's students.
Come From Away was the resounding star of the evening. We all love an underdog, and this small yet mighty cast came out triumphant, much in the spirit of the small-town community from Gander that the musical depicts.
What shone about this cast was their sheer professionalism, especially given they had a mere month to rehearse. From Claude's first notes in 'Welcome to the Rock' -sang with passion and a convincing Newfoundland accent by Seb Bamford- I felt I had stepped into the Gerald Schoenfeld on Broadway. It was this polish in vocals, acting, and choreography that left me completely immersed from start to finish.
'28 Hours/Wherever We Are' also gleamed, exploring the tumultuous emotions of those stuck aboard the grounded airlines on 11th September 2001. Despite its narrow physical confines, the emotional breadth covered in this song was deeply moving. Notable was the heart-breaking solo section performed by Jess Edwards, playing real-life pilot Beverley Bass.
Legally Blonde acted as another shining example of choreography, comedy, and character. Though following on from the sombre tone of Come From Away was difficult, Elle Woods and her ensemble of sorority friends got the audience laughing once more.
Leah Pollard
Their performance of 'Omigod You Guys' was girlishly fun, a great blend of well-executed choreography and obvious enjoyment. Olivia McKenna brought Elle to life through charisma and vocals that perfectly matched the character's bubbliness. If Come From Away was the sobering emotional core of the evening, then Legally Blonde was its sweet chaser that left the audience in high spirits.
As always, the evening was an absolute testament to the hard work, talent, and passion embodied by everyone involved. Those on stage were magnetic, and a phenomenal set of musicians and crew made for a Showcase that cannot be missed. If you have any doubts about student theatre, an evening among these wonderful performers is sure to change your mind.
Featured image: MTB / Adrian Law
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