Review: Rachel Tucker Live in Concert at the St James Theatre

Rachel Tucker Live in Concert
St James Theatre
(As part of the London Festival of Cabaret)
Reviewed on Sunday 13th October 2013

Following her debut solo concert at the St James Studio earlier this year (which sold out in minutes), it was announced that Rachel would play another concert in the main space at the St James Theatre to celebrate the release of her debut album The Reason, which was released by Big Hand Recordings in August. After reaching the semi-finals of I'd Do Anything, Rachel has become one of the biggest and most-loved West End stars and is probably best known for her record-breaking, two and a half year stint as Elphaba in Wicked.

"What a way to ruin an entrance" were the first words we actually heard from Rachel following some technical difficulties at the start. Rachel was meant to start singing from off-stage; however, her microphone wasn't turned on and eventually she just burst on-stage and, like a true professional, went on to give the performance of a lifetime. Aside from this the concert, which was also sold out, ran seamlessly and the audience were certainly not left disappointed. 

Not only did Rachel showcase tracks from her album, but she also performed many other numbers, some of which were very personal to the star. The show lasted just over two and a half hours, with only one short interval - I do not have a clue how it is physically possible for one person to belt out so many songs in one evening. Rachel's vocal chords must be made of steel! At no point during the evening did Rachel's voice ever sound tired, in fact she seemed to become livelier and far more confident as the night went on.

It was fantastic to see Rachel's fun side - she's crazy! She had lots of banter with the band and when one audience member started having a coughing fit while Rachel was telling a story, she stopped and offered the lady some of her water. This spontaneity was consistent throughout the night, none of the links felt too planned. In fact, several times she asked the musical director what was coming next.

It is absolutely impossible to pick Rachel's standout performances. Under normal circumstances, every single rendition of every single song would have been a highlight of a show. Rachel is a perfectionist and her vocal talents have no limits. However, I will mention some of my personal favourite moments...

Rachel spoke about how she was inspired by Judy Garland from a very young age, before performing a tribute to the star. The medley began and ended with ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’, a song which suits Rachel's smooth tone perfectly. Rachel sang the final note so softly, it was crystal clear and you really could hear a pin drop.

"I think everybody would have been more than happy to have stayed for an extra hour or two."

Another tender moment came during the second act when Rachel sang 'Gone Too Soon' from her album in memory of her mother who passed away in May this year. Accompanied by just a guitar, the performance was very raw, exposed and emotional. Rachel handled the situation well, she spoke beautifully about her mother before swiftly moving on to the next part of the evening.

Of course Rachel is known for her powerhouse vocals, and oh my goodness she did not disappoint! She hit the most unbelievable notes during an insane rendition of ‘My Immortal’, but it was her rendition of 'Defying Gravity' that will stay with me for a very long time. The song has been performed by so many people so many times, but I love Rachel's version the most because she does something new with the number without losing its original meaning. I'm glad she performed it at the end of the first half so I had the interval to recover!

If Rachel ever finds herself out of work (which I doubt she ever will), she could certainly earn a living as a Tina Turner impersonator. The star, who made her West End debut in We Will Rock You, explained that Tina taught her how to belt; she then started prancing around the stage, imitating Tina's signature walk and mannerisms. This was the most bizarre moment of the evening - but I loved it! Of course Rachel then went on to pay tribute to the singer with another medley. The final few notes of ‘River Deep Mountain High’ were nothing short of impressive and unforgettable.

It seemed most the audience had spotted fellow West End star Louise Dearman in the audience, sitting on the end of the third row. Louise and Rachel are very close friends and previously played Glinda and Elphaba together for nearly two years in Wicked. However, when Rachel picked up a cane, slipped on a jacket and announced she was going to perform a dance number from Chicago nobody expected that Louise was about to jump out of her seat, pick up a cane and join Rachel on stage for what can only be described as several minutes of theatrical bliss. The two performed a hysterical, extended dance break before finishing with a rendition of ‘All That Jazz’. It is clear that Louise and Rachel were born to perform together as their chemistry is so natural. Their voices blend perfectly together and I hope it won't be long until the pair take to the stage together once again.

Rachel Tucker kicked off the London Festival of Cabaret with a bang and proved a tough act to follow; you will certainly be hearing her name a lot over the coming years. Rachel is a phenomenal performer and I admire her honesty which took the evening to another level. She may have been performing in a large theatre, but the evening still felt intimate and very personal. Of course the entire band was terrific and it was wonderful when Stevie Tate-Bauer and Jennifer Tierney (two very talented ladies) joined Rachel for a couple of numbers. 

Rachel brought the entire audience to their feet twice as the evening drew to a close, I think everybody would have been more than happy to have stayed for an extra hour or two. She finished with a rendition of 'Don't Rain On My Parade' proving that there really is nothing she cannot do. I will be watching with anticipation to see what the future holds for this ridiculously talented performer.

Reviewed by Andrew Tomlins (Editor)

andrew@westendframe.com

To find out more about Rachel and to purchase her album, visit www.racheltucker.co.uk.

Click here to read our big interview with Rachel.
Click here to read our five star review of The Reason.

Please visit www.londonfestivalofcabaret.com for further information about the London Festival of Cabaret.

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