ACTUALLY GAY MEN’S CHORUS: FABULOUS

As show titles go this could not have been better named. At Twenty years old this LGBTQ choir needs not wait until 21 to have come of age and last night they more then proved just that. It was very much an evening of two halves but only in demonstrating their wide ranging achievements.

In the first act we got to hear them perform a variety of demanding pieces. I have always admired their catholic approach to choosing their repertoire, a balance of classical, secular, spiritual and theatrical. They steer away from delivering an evening of pop standards on the whole and when they do go pop they do it with class.

Part one demonstrated their ability to do classic, a witty rewrite of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd to start, a shanty and fabulous slice of Gilbert and Sullivan. G&S always puts a smile on my face and they delivered it with power and appropriate humour. Onward with Non Nobis Domine from an octet plucked from the ranks, very impressive.

I’m no fan of This Is The Moment, it goes on and on and up and up, a key change too far in my view but they do it well so that is down to me not liking a song and not their performance of it.

Vivaldi’s Gloria was powerful and Carl Jenkins’ Benedictus and Parry’s I Was Glad went on to prove their dynamic strengths, that ability to be delicate when needed, so often lacking in community choirs, but not for this one.

A LLoyd Webber medley was good, pleasing many with a set of familiar numbers and The Man of La Mancha was punched out with appropriate energy before a hauntingly fine Impossible Dream sung by Andrew Whitelaw and Dear Evan Hansen, almost ubiquitous these days in a chorus programme, sung by Thomas Price and Tom Slater-Hyndman.

For me the highlight of part one though came a few numbers back. I have always thought that Miss Saigon is in many ways a better show than Les Miserables and the song Bui Doi the finest number, one that gives opportunity for a very dynamic ensemble and a fine solo. Sean Hedley’s rendering was not only finely sung but also movingly dramatic. It is a tragic number that needs to be delivered with a sense of sadness and regret and he lent it a certain gravitas that made it very special.

Part two took us on a lighter journey and started with the rollicking and demanding patter quartet Coffee In A Cardboard Cup, sung with confident precision. Moving on The Music Never Ends then an Hilarious rendering of Broadway Baby from Follies in which several members fought for the solo, clever and witty too.

For the event soloist Karen Orchin had joined the choir adding her soaringly fine voice to several numbers. Adding a fine soprano adds so much to the rich tones of a male voice choir without detracting from them as an ensemble. Never Enough from The Greatest Showman worked very well indeed as did Skyfall and later Barcelona.

Next a medley from Wicked, a show that I saw and came out whistling the wallpaper if you know what that means, I am no fan but they their versions were impressive enough in demonstrating that they can tackle those big sprawling show tunes, if I dare to use the word tunes. It did however give Mr Cousins the opportunity to wear a ‘Wickedly’ emerald green frock coat!

Billy Brown was fun with someone stepping in to take the solo part with not a hint that he was a replacement, sorry not to remember your name. And in fact apologies for not naming all the evening’s soloists.

A rousing Sussex By The Sea sat well with the audience, our new mayor clearly loving it and then Jewel’s In The Crown before a couple of songs from West Side Story, Tonight rattled out perhaps a little too fast but Somewhere was hauntingly beautiful.

The real joy of seeing how this chorus has developed and matured is that feeling of community and commitment, I love that their solos are performed with the backing of the full choir, I enjoy their fearless approach to programming, their challenges and of course their style. The music team of Samuel Cousins and Simon Gray is well matched, Jack Merrington produces with style and the addition of Karen Orchin on this occasion was inspired.

I had a few minor quibbles with the whole on this occasion, at times the sound was a little over amplified in a church with a splendid acoustic and the drums on occasion a little too forward in the mix, but minor moans and certainly not enough for me to tarnish a special evening and heartfelt celebration of one of our city’s finest musical assets.

Andrew Kay

19 July

St Mary’s Kemp Town

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