Ten Shows in One?

A Chronicle In Concert

With an excellent array of shows in the past few years, from Little Women to Cinderella, I’ve become a bit of a MusT convert. It’s quite staggering to put together shows of such calibre alongside the trials and tribulations of an intensive degree. On top of that, MusT have added A Chronicle in Concert, an annual cabaret-style vocal showcase. With a live orchestra, soloists, and ensemble, it offered a tour through ten different musicals in songs from various styles, almost like an eclectic jukebox musical.

Excitement for the production was so great that presale tickets sold out, as well as on-the-door tickets, leaving some unlucky buyers unable to watch. I was given a seat front and centre, sandwiched between the big dogs of MusT and the musical theatre program’s central (and very generous) donors, a pretty terrifying prospect. 

The company comprised a variety of faces. It was nice to see some familiar figures from past musicals, but also some new singers, who were just as excellent as the more seasoned performers. The same was true of the orchestra.

After a delayed start, probably due to the logistical challenge of trying to squeeze attendees into any spare seat, it was time for the kick-off. The show began with the Overture from Annie, heralded by a beautiful trumpet solo from Charlotte Ainsworth, making me peer across the string section to figure out who was playing. The orchestra sounded confident, but the balance was very upper-part heavy, owing to the uneven distribution of parts. The single cello and bass could have used a microphone, perhaps, or just some lower-string companions.  

Once the singers came in for ‘When I Grow Up’ from Matilda, the imbalance was less obvious. I liked the three soloists’ different tones, showcased in excerpts before they came together to sing as a blend. The song was preceded by witty commentary from producer Ava Pegg-Davies, which recurred throughout. She provided insight into the song choice, as well as explanations of their themes and context, with references to St Andrews life. 

The strongest songs were often familiar, fast or feel-good. ‘Will He Like Me’ from He Loves Me, performed by Orsolya Haynes, was one of the most energetic songs in the programme. As a self-proclaimed lover of soppy musical theatre, it hit the spot, and you could tell that this was one of the songs the orchestra were more comfortable with.

The performance of Bernstein’s ‘Three Dance Episodes’ was humorously preceded by an announcement that only two of the movements would be played, which I appreciated rather than not being notified. It was likely a sensible decision to uphold the quality of the concert. This and the Overture brought diversity to the concert, showcasing the orchestra in isolation.

Another highlight was ‘You’re Timeless To Me’ from Hairspray, performed with fantastic energy and humour by Oluver Suthersanen-Tutt and Ruby Thake. There was a palpable sense of fun, and it avoided a problem that was evident somewhat elsewhere in the concert, of performers being glued to the music. ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business,’ embodying the central feeling of the whole show, was also a success: it was one of the most well-known numbers, with some of the show’s best unity and enthusiasm between cast and orchestra. 

For some of the more complex numbers, off-by-heart renditions would have created a real wow factor. Performing musical theatre songs out of context and without the immersion of a full production is undoubtedly a challenge, requiring the audience to believe they’re in that American town, that apartment, that school, from any of the songs, rather than sitting in a rather unforgiving chair in McPherson. 

I liked the variety of different musicals on offer, showcasing more obscure numbers from popular shows, as well as relatively unknown ones. Sometimes the songs selected were fractionally too long for being unfamiliar, but were diligently energetic, as in the case of Aaron Wafflart’s ‘Soliloquy’ from Carousel. 

Putting this together in the aftermath of Big Fish, the three-night musical which was only last week, was no mean feat. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that many weren’t off-book or were slightly unfamiliar with parts. Aside from this, it was clear that the cast were having fun, whether in their own solos or looking across to the other half of the chorus with a smile. In just about an hour, the audience was definitely treated to an unusual journey through the world of the musical.

Photo by Rowan Kehrer