Lights Cabaret Action! The Magpie Performers are an all inclusive group of people who love to put on shows. To find out more about the Magpie ethos and what they mean by inclusive you can read more on their Website.
This show was a mix of songs from the shows and film versions of musical shows, and with a cast of 30 and a set list of 24 songs this was an ambitious show directed by 17 year old Gabrielle Hammond, making her directorial debut, and she has done a terrific job.
Working with a big cast always brings up challenges, especially with lots of people too-ing and fro-ing from the stage but the transitions were swift and the evening moved along at a lovely pace, never flagging.
The whole cast are amazingly talented, enthusiastic and full of energy so it feels wrong to single out names, as they were all so good, but I will mention some favourite numbers from the show.
I’m a Believer from Shrek the Musical was a lively way to get things going and full of fun, Mein Herr from Cabaret was a great choice and something very different and Pulled from the Addams Family is a musical and song I didn’t know but was a highlight for me. Ending the first half with the rousing Master of The House from Les Miserables was an inspired choice and left us all humming the tune during the interval.
One of my favourite songs from one of my favourite musicals opened the second half; Cell Block Tango from Chicago is a complicated song to do but it was executed perfectly with smashing harmonies in the multiple parts. I also loved the costumes in this and many other numbers – there was great attention to detail and use of colour in the show.
Other highlights were the poignant When I Grow Up from Matilda – which showed off some of the stunning talent amongst the younger members of the cast; Flash Bang Wallop from Half a Sixpence was lively and great fun and Dentist! from Little Shop of Horrors was also crammed with humour and greatly appreciated by the audience.
Magpie Performers believe everyone who wants to should be able to have a go at being on stage, and it was so refreshing to see such a diverse range of performers with nothing holding them back from being allowed to perform.
Lights Cabaret Action! by Magpie Performers is at the Sir John Mills Theatre 26th & 27th July with performances at 7.30pm and a 2.30pm matinee on the Saturday.
Tickets are available from the Eastern Angles Website
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