| Site | NODA |
| Date | 19th Feb 2025 |
|---|---|
| Society | Hayling Musical Society |
| Venue | Hayling Island Community Centre |
| Type of Production | Concert |
| Director | Joe Coates and Daisy Harkness |
| Musical Director | Daisy Harkness |
| Choreographer | Daisy Harkness, Emily Harkness, Hayley Wallage and Joe Coates |
| Reviewer | NODA |
Why present just one musical when you can do seven in one evening? Quite an achievement in itself, but Hayling Youngstars (the youth wing of Hayling Musical Society) carried it off with great confidence and style.
This self-penned show gave us excerpts from “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat”, “Annie”, “Shrek”, “Six”, “Oliver!”, “Seussical” and “Matilda” all of which this talented group of youngsters have performed at least once in the past.
It wasn’t just a succession of songs; each section was cleverly thought out – not picking just the obvious numbers – and introduced by our comperes for the night, Indi de Vries and Emma Vidler. They gave us a good synopsis of each show along with lots of interesting facts – did you know, for example, that the style of each of the “Six” wives of Henry VIII was based on particular pop stars? I didn’t. Indi and Emma had a great knockabout, style guaranteed to make us laugh, instantly endearing themselves to the audience and, whoever wrote their words has a great comic touch. I really liked their cue cards too – always shaped and coloured so that they related to the next show. A lot of thought and ingenuity had obviously gone into them – especially the bowl of porridge for Oliver!
A very simple black set was used, with a platform at the back, relying on the colourful and interesting lighting provided by Unique Events (a new name in this area), images projected around the proscenium arch, and a lot of very appropriate costumes (Emily Harkness and Sheila Aldridge), varying from ‘just a hint’ to full-on.
Good quality soundtracks were used and, with head mics and Tom Davison at the controls, sound balance and quality were perfect, in this notoriously difficult venue.
Stage Manager Kim Budd and her team achieved slick and silent scene changes, usually in blackout, keeping the show moving along at a cracking pace.
Directors Daisy Harkness and Joe Coates (both current or former members of the group) must have great imaginations and they worked really hard, along with the choreography team, to bring this show to such a level of perfection. Every scene was interesting, the dancing filled the large stage, and everyone looked totally engaged and committed to giving us the best possible evening’s entertainment.
The singing, by individuals and chorus, was excellent throughout, despite some quite challenging backing tracks. Individuals were allowed to shine and take on roles they might not otherwise consider. Every number impressed me, but there were three that stood out just a little bit more: the beautifully melodious singing in “Any Dream Will Do” from Joseph, the punchy, rhythmic “Six” from Six, and “Who Will Buy” from Oliver, where the part singing was just breath-taking.
I’m sure you didn’t call yourselves “Youngstars” by accident – you were all truly stars of the highest order last night. It was also very pleasing to see current and former members of the group giving back by directing, choreographing and organising props and costumes. What a wonderful way of thanking the group for the experiences and skills it has given you.
Thank you for a great experience – you just seem to go on hitting new heights every time I see you. Long may this continue!
