Review: MUSICALS - THE GREATEST SHOW, BBC
Photo credit: BBC/Guy Levy
Following its radio premiere last weekend, BBC One treated us to 80 minutes of pure musical exhilaration last night with the TV broadcast of Musicals: The Greatest Show - a concert celebrating the best of musical theatre and providing an increased hunger for performers and fans alike.
Recorded at The London Palladium with the BBC Concert Orchestra (led expertly by Jon Ranger), the show is hosted by Sheridan Smith, and features performances by a variety of West End & international theatre stars, including Kerry Ellis, Ramin Karimloo, Layton Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Sam Tutty, Lea Salonga & many more.
The auditorium of the iconic London Palladium provides a backdrop for the proceedings, with Tim Routledge making the world-class venue look even more stunning with his concert-style lighting, which enveloped the performance space in its entirety.
During musical numbers, the lead artists perform upstage with the musicians situated on the stage behind them, as well as in the stalls. An ensemble made up of performers from the West End are also utilised effectively in certain songs to provide backing vocals and during these times, they are positioned in a socially distanced manner across the Royal Circle.
There is something for absolutely everyone in the packed programme, with classic shows to newer musicals featured; from Dreamgirls to Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Dear Evan Hansen to The Phantom of The Opera and Wicked to Six.
Interspersed with the performances are a few conversational sections, which include hearing from Six stars Sophie Isaacs, Courtney Bowman, Natalie Paris & Alexia McIntosh; along with Elaine Paige in conversation with Broadway star Idina Menzel, counting down the Top 20 musical numbers as voted for by BBC Radio 2 listeners.
Along with charismatically hosting the evening, Smith opens the show with the dazzling ‘Don’t Rain on my Parade’ from Funny Girl; the show she received two Olivier Award nominations for when performing as Fanny Brice in the West End. She also returns later in the programme to perform ‘I Know Him So Well’ from Chess with Amanda Holden, which also features on Holden’s 2020 album, Songs From The Heart.
A man with a longstanding affiliation with The Phantom Of The Opera, Ramin Karimloo takes a break from Holby City to deliver a powerful and rousing rendition of ‘The Music of the Night’ from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical; followed by a change of pace with the West End Queens from Six performing the show’s title number in the Royal Circle and bringing the house down! Danielle Steers, in particular, shines with her soulful depth of vocal during the number.
Nicole Raquel Dennis gives a staggeringly effortless performance of ‘And I Am Telling You’ from Dreamgirls, ahead of her taking up the role of Effie White in the upcoming UK tour, before returning later in the show to deliver the anthem that is ‘You Will Be Found’ with her current co-stars in Dear Evan Hansen: Sam Tutty, Lucy Anderson and Jack Loxton.
Performing from LA is Nicole Scherzinger with her wonderful, if not slightly embellished, rendition of ‘Never Enough’ from The Greatest Showman film. We are then later treated to the sublime Lea Salonga in Manila singing ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ from Les Miserables - a truly international show!
We are also given a sneak peek of new song ‘Only You, Lonely You’ from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s upcoming new musical, Cinderella; sung by newcomer Ivano Turco who has the most beautiful tone. The anticipation has most definitely ramped up for this thwarted show, which has been forced to postpone its opening twice already. We have everything crossed for its premiere this Spring!
Layton Williams gives a magnetic performance of ‘The Wall In My Head’ from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie; followed by a delicious new arrangement of ‘The Best’ from Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, sung by Aisha Jawondo, who has one of the best whistles in the industry! Then bringing down the curtain in the best possible way is Kerry Ellis with her electrifying rendition of ‘Defying Gravity’ from Wicked. These are just a handful of stagey moments included in this musical feast, Besties.
As many of us are missing being able to go to the theatre at the moment, this is the perfect remedy for theatre withdrawal. The TBI Media production team have done a tremendous job of putting this production together, with all of the government Covid-safe guidelines in place.
There may have been a heartbreaking lack of applause after each performance but we were giving a standing ovation in our hearts and homes. What a show!
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Emily East & Jenny Ell
Musicals: The Greatest Show is available to listen to on BBC Radio 2 until 2 March, with the TV broadcast available to view on BBC iPlayer for a year.
