Circle of Life
Date - 18th May 2017
Society - Vane Tempest Theatre Group
Venue - Enfield Road Independant Methodist Church
Type of Production - Concert
Director - Keith Armitage
Musical Director - Ben Wardropper
Report - Author: Peter Oliver
Following on from their last years 40th anniversary concert “Life Begins at 40” Vane Tempest Theatre Group brought us their 2017 celebration concert featuring a cavalcade of music and sketches. This year the group looked at life through all its stages starting with music looking at babyhood and childhood before moving onto the teenage years and music associated with adulthood and marriage before moving to their finale set looking at old age, retirement and looking back on life.
Congratulations firstly must go to the group’s director Keith Armitage and music director Ben Wardropper for compiling the programme which included some popular as well as some new and interesting songs, this programme pleased the audience and challenged the group but as ever with this group the vocals were beautifully delivered and showcased some beautiful four part harmonies as were the three sketches which were also well acted and funny, I also must mention what is turning out to be a bit of a tradition the jokes delivered by Ben between each musical number not only were these funny but enabled the group to prepare for their next number and pleased the audience throughout the evening.
The babyhood and childhood years starting with the whole company singing the beautiful song written by Stevie Wonder “Isn’t She Lovely” this was followed by the Guns and Roses number “Sweet Child of Mine” and the stargazers song “Twenty Tiny Fingers” ending the first section Keith Armitage lead the group with a song written by Jim Connor and made famous by John Denver “Grandma’s Feather Bed, which was beautifully sang. The full company took the audience into the teenage years with the Herman’s Hermits musical number “I’m Into Something Good” followed by ” I Think Were Alone Now ” before Nick Thompson and Katrina Wake delivered a strong and convincing duet from the Sound Of Music “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” it was followed by the whole company singing a trilogy of songs connected to the teenage years all excellently delivered starting “Teenager in Love” followed by “Happy Together” and the iconic Grease number “Summer Nights”. To conclude the first half Carolyn Adgar, Emily Harrison, Toni Harison, Gemma Parnaby, Helen Southwich and Katrina Wake acted out the hilarious sketch “Team BL” excellent acting and a perfect ending to the first act.
The second act took the audience through the adult years and into marriage starting with Bruno Mars number “Marry You”, this was then followed by the beautiful pop balled originally sang by Elvis Presley “Cant help falling in Love” this was excellently delivered tender and beautifully sang it was followed by a comedy number originally sang by Sue Thompson “James, hold the Ladder Steady” before the ladies of the group sang the beautiful number “Chapel of Love, Helen Southwick, Emily Harrison and Toni Harrison delivered the most beautiful number “When we were Young” excellent lyrics and beautifully sang, these three young ladies delivered this number well and I loved Helen’s vocals and how she interpreted the song for me this was the song of the evening. Nick Thompson, Ashleigh Hallimond, Julie-Ann Marshall and Suzy Wake delivered a very funny sketch “While you were Sleeping” telling the story of a women who sleep text’s and the trouble it can cause, again this sketch was well delivered and very funny to end this section there followed two songs sang by the whole company, first the Marilyn Monroe number “After you get what you want” and “The Argument”. The group then moved into the final stage growing old, retirement and looking back at life. Suzanne Armitage, Julie-ann Marshall, Lindsey Southwick and Suzy Wake sang Donna lou Stevens song “Older Ladies” this was a great number for the ladies to sing great lyrics and very funny, Keith Armitage followed with an equally funny rendition of “When your Old and Grey, this was followed by the full company singing “Summer of 69” and a lovely solo by Ben Wardropper delivering the iconic number “That’s Life”. There was a final sketch delivered by Tasha Cole, Laura Geary, Gemma Parnaby and Helen Southwick called “Park it Here Girls focus on a group of older women and their day to day lives which led into the whole company singing their final song “My Generation”.
This was an enjoyable concert and one that I know the audience appreciated, with some great soloist and chorus numbers, congratulations must also go to everyone involved including Linda Thompson, Robert Reynolds and Jenny Marshall who complimented the above cast. Overall this was a virtuous presentation of some favourite and new songs well done to everyone at Vane Tempest Theatre Group.
Date - 18th May 2017
Society - Vane Tempest Theatre Group
Venue - Enfield Road Independant Methodist Church
Type of Production - Concert
Director - Keith Armitage
Musical Director - Ben Wardropper
Report - Author: Peter Oliver
Following on from their last years 40th anniversary concert “Life Begins at 40” Vane Tempest Theatre Group brought us their 2017 celebration concert featuring a cavalcade of music and sketches. This year the group looked at life through all its stages starting with music looking at babyhood and childhood before moving onto the teenage years and music associated with adulthood and marriage before moving to their finale set looking at old age, retirement and looking back on life.
Congratulations firstly must go to the group’s director Keith Armitage and music director Ben Wardropper for compiling the programme which included some popular as well as some new and interesting songs, this programme pleased the audience and challenged the group but as ever with this group the vocals were beautifully delivered and showcased some beautiful four part harmonies as were the three sketches which were also well acted and funny, I also must mention what is turning out to be a bit of a tradition the jokes delivered by Ben between each musical number not only were these funny but enabled the group to prepare for their next number and pleased the audience throughout the evening.
The babyhood and childhood years starting with the whole company singing the beautiful song written by Stevie Wonder “Isn’t She Lovely” this was followed by the Guns and Roses number “Sweet Child of Mine” and the stargazers song “Twenty Tiny Fingers” ending the first section Keith Armitage lead the group with a song written by Jim Connor and made famous by John Denver “Grandma’s Feather Bed, which was beautifully sang. The full company took the audience into the teenage years with the Herman’s Hermits musical number “I’m Into Something Good” followed by ” I Think Were Alone Now ” before Nick Thompson and Katrina Wake delivered a strong and convincing duet from the Sound Of Music “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” it was followed by the whole company singing a trilogy of songs connected to the teenage years all excellently delivered starting “Teenager in Love” followed by “Happy Together” and the iconic Grease number “Summer Nights”. To conclude the first half Carolyn Adgar, Emily Harrison, Toni Harison, Gemma Parnaby, Helen Southwich and Katrina Wake acted out the hilarious sketch “Team BL” excellent acting and a perfect ending to the first act.
The second act took the audience through the adult years and into marriage starting with Bruno Mars number “Marry You”, this was then followed by the beautiful pop balled originally sang by Elvis Presley “Cant help falling in Love” this was excellently delivered tender and beautifully sang it was followed by a comedy number originally sang by Sue Thompson “James, hold the Ladder Steady” before the ladies of the group sang the beautiful number “Chapel of Love, Helen Southwick, Emily Harrison and Toni Harrison delivered the most beautiful number “When we were Young” excellent lyrics and beautifully sang, these three young ladies delivered this number well and I loved Helen’s vocals and how she interpreted the song for me this was the song of the evening. Nick Thompson, Ashleigh Hallimond, Julie-Ann Marshall and Suzy Wake delivered a very funny sketch “While you were Sleeping” telling the story of a women who sleep text’s and the trouble it can cause, again this sketch was well delivered and very funny to end this section there followed two songs sang by the whole company, first the Marilyn Monroe number “After you get what you want” and “The Argument”. The group then moved into the final stage growing old, retirement and looking back at life. Suzanne Armitage, Julie-ann Marshall, Lindsey Southwick and Suzy Wake sang Donna lou Stevens song “Older Ladies” this was a great number for the ladies to sing great lyrics and very funny, Keith Armitage followed with an equally funny rendition of “When your Old and Grey, this was followed by the full company singing “Summer of 69” and a lovely solo by Ben Wardropper delivering the iconic number “That’s Life”. There was a final sketch delivered by Tasha Cole, Laura Geary, Gemma Parnaby and Helen Southwick called “Park it Here Girls focus on a group of older women and their day to day lives which led into the whole company singing their final song “My Generation”.
This was an enjoyable concert and one that I know the audience appreciated, with some great soloist and chorus numbers, congratulations must also go to everyone involved including Linda Thompson, Robert Reynolds and Jenny Marshall who complimented the above cast. Overall this was a virtuous presentation of some favourite and new songs well done to everyone at Vane Tempest Theatre Group.
