At this time of year, when you can’t turn on the radio or walk into a shop without being subjected to a constant soundtrack of Christmas carols and seasonal novelty songs, it may be a step too far to pay good money to hear still more in an evening that is entirely comprised of them in the theatre. But that’s not to count on the generous spirit of invention, and reinvention, behind Christmas in New York, an amazing concert celebration of Christmas music - both freshly minted and classical - that the multi-faceted David Randall, as director, musical director and arranger, has threaded into an impeccably organic and seamless whole.
The only pity is that it was done for one night only and so more people couldn’t be privy to its joys. However, as it is, a sell-out house - which the box office could not cope with, and had the curtain held by 20 minutes as a result - was the luckiest audience in the West End when the show finally started.
This was an evening of pure talent, both onstage and in its wide authorship. In a programme of more than 40 songs, we heard contributions from Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin and Richard Rodgers, those of a younger, contemporary generation of writers like Ann Hampton Callaway, Andrew Lippa and John Bucchino, as well as British writers like Grant Olding, Charles Miller and - entirely new to the West End stage - Michael Bruce.
The latter won his place in the line-up in The Stage-supported Notes for The Stage competition, for which I must declare an interest that I was one of the judges. But as vibrantly put across onstage by fellow judge Anna-Jane Casey, I felt our selection was entirely validated. Bruce’s melodic and surprising Children was a song that held its own in a very rich programme.
But what’s thrilling, as ever, is the strength and commitment of the West End company put together to perform it, with Notes from New York co-founders Julie Atherton and Paul Spicer earning their frontline positions, but not abusing them, by giving such other principal actors as Oliver Tompsett and the lovely Emma Williams their chance to shine, too.
Production information can change over the run of the show.
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