West End Switched Off: The Gala Launch of Parallel Productions
Battersea Barge
Reviewed on Wednesday 4th September 2013
Reviewed on Wednesday 4th September 2013
West End Switched Off is a new series of concerts mounted by Kris Rawlinson, the enterprising founder of production company Parallel Productions and also, impressively, the talented MD of the evening's entertainment. The USP of these concerts is to bring together the cream of West End talent to perform "acoustic, unplugged " arrangements of musical theatre repertoire.
Last night's launch event was a polished affair where all the artists (with one notable exception, who appeared on stage with her lyrics on scrap paper) were on top form: prepared, polished and performing with panache. The balance between four piece band and the singers was near-perfect; certainly the best-sounding of any performance I've attended at the Battersea Barge.
Dean McCullough, as host, provided much amusement with his caustic bitchiness towards both performers and audience alike: it's a skill to be something more than just an information giver at occasions like this and McCullough performed his duty with aplomb, bringing a great deal of humour to his MC role.
Musical highlights of the two-act show were Jodie Steele, who really shone in a bold and unique version of 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody', her stratospheric range and vocal tricks left the audience yearning for more of the same. Jeremy Legat gave a compelling and totally convincing rendition of Sondheim's classic 'Losing My Mind' and the mesmerising Gary Wood put his sweet voice to good use in a well performed, if traditional, 'What I Did For Love'. The concert's closing number finished the evening with a bang: 'One Night Only' punched you right between the eyes with Jodie Steele again belting it out alongside the powerhouse vocals of Ambra Caserotti and Sabrina Aloueche.
It was a great beginning to an exciting concept but the conventional arrangement of the majority of the songs left me a little underwhelmed. The West End Switched Off title suggested audacious, innovative new arrangements of songs we know and love. Next time, I hope that Parallel takes the plunge and gives us an entire evening of covers altogether more unique.
Reviewed by Jody Tranter
Click here to read our interview with Sabrina Aloueche.
Photo Credit: Darren Bell
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