‘Candlelight Concert’ review
‘a sophisticated concert, full of love and feeling’
From The Lion King’s dusky plains to the rolling Swiss hills of The Sound of Music, ACT’s Candlelight Concert collects musical love-song classics, performed within the cool stone walls of St. Oswald’s Church. Producer Angus Holker (assisted by Jemima Houwing) makes the tone apparent in the programme booklet: the evening is about “faith in love”. As promised, the stage is lined with the flickering warm glow of candles, lighting the performers as they step onto centre stage, dressed formally in concert blacks. Damola Amusa opens with a clear and confident note and the ensemble follows, before someone stops to apologise for sound issues. The ensemble exudes professionalism, bantering with the audience while the tech team proficiently works to remedy; quickly, they resume the show as if the tech problems were absent. Despite prominent mic failures, feedback, and unsteady sound balance throughout the night, they come off cool and practised, assured in their skill – and rightfully so.
A full ensemble number – ’Somebody to Love’ from Glee – begins the show with a bang, showcasing the calibre of the ensemble’s vocal talent whilst teasing the involvement of Movement Director Amelie Marshall-Cawley, whose choreographed touches add immersion and a wonderful sense of whimsy to the concert. This is seen particularly in a rendition of ‘Fabulous Baby’ (Sister Act). Led by the powerful Imi Myatt, the performers match the song’s jaunty energy with a dance number and Philly accents to boot.
Director Abi Barker and Co-Musical Directors Ellie Kinch and Clara Suss-Francksen use venue space to its full potential; different numbers see the performers singing from different parts of the hall or moving across the rows. In a gorgeous ensemble rendition of ‘Seasons of Love’ (RENT), they surround the audience on both sides of the aisles creating a surround-sound effect that takes advantage of the church’s good acoustics. Amusa’s part is near my section and he’s an absolute delight to behold. ‘Go The Distance’ (Hercules) performed by Jamie Duncan – consistently impressive with a steady voice and fanciful lilt – utilises a balcony on the opposite side of the stage.
I was constantly blown away by Caitlyn Leung. From her rendition of ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’ (The Lion King) with the brilliant James Butler (whose perfect harmonies blend beautifully with her Nala) to her littered high notes in various numbers, she’s steadily excellent. My favourite number of the night was the genuinely emotional ‘Requiem’ (Dear Evan Hansen) with Leung, Cyril Chan, and Lizzie Dixon; they deliver the three-part harmony with a heartbreaking clarity. I’d watch Leung’s Zoe in a heartbeat.
Dixon proves to be a fantastic actor as well as singer, performing each song with the palpable feeling of a character actor. There’s an Elle Woods beyond the individual song in her rendition of ‘Legally Blonde’ (Legally Blonde). Harry Easton displays a lovely range, channeling a rockstar bohemian in ‘Come What May (Finale)’ (Moulin Rouge) whilst playing Orpheus in ‘All I’ve Ever Known’ (Hadestown) with a tender earnestness. Opposite him as Eurydice, Samantha Sinilong sings with the delicacy of a Disney princess.
Jake O’ Donnell is an undeniable standout. He calls on West End ghost of Dónal Finn for his Orpheus’ ‘Wait For Me’ (Hadestown), leading one of the best ensemble songs of the night. The company carries candles in their hands to mimic the swinging industrial lamps of Orpheus’ Hadestown walk and O’Donnell holds a prop red flower out as he hits every perfect falsetto note. As he moves across the middle aisle to meet the ground onstage, the result is genuine grandeur. His ‘Maria’ (West Side Story) puts Ansel Algort to shame. Alongside him in ‘Something Good’ and ‘Edelweiss’ (The Sound of Music) is the equally impressive Clara Suss-Francksen who effortlessly meets every song with perfection.
Some lyrical slip ups, audio issues, and shaky beginnings don’t detract from the scale of the evening and the ambition of the production. The cast and creative team should be very proud for producing a sophisticated concert, full of love and feeling.
By Ashley Zhou.