The Stephen Sondheim Society held its 16th annual student competition at the Sondheim Theatre yesterday (9 June). The event successfully celebrates both the work of the great composer who died in 2021 and promotes new talent of both performers and new UK musical composers. This year, there were 330 submitted audition tapes from young hopefuls at drama schools around the UK and 72 were selected to sing in front of a selection panel in April to whittle applicants down to a final 12 performers and 2 understudies. The final selection were required to prepare and perform two songs in front of the live audience and a panel of judges who selected the final winner, one from the Sondheim catalogue and one from new UK musical catalogue.

The twelve selected were Holly Adams (Trinity Laban Conservatoire), Brooke Bazarian (LAMDA), Oliver Halford (Emil Dale Academy), Harrison Langham (ArtsEd), Katie Leach (LAMDA), Madeleine Morgan (Royal Academy of Music), Rowen Newsome (Brighton Academy), Tumi Olufawo (Bristol Old Vic), Thomas Oxley (Italia Conti), Daisy Pearson (Rose Burford), Gavin Rasmussen (LAMDA), and Josh Rosewood (Mount-view). As our host and compare Bonnie Langford said, although it was a competition, all performers were winners to be celebrated having reached this stage.

The contestants’ performances were topped and tailed by Sondheim songs with a group performance of ‘Beautiful Girls’ from Follies, the National Youth Musical Theatre Ensemble medley from Into the Woods, last year’s winner Milly Willow’s performance of ‘The Worst Pies in London’ from Sweeney Todd, Joaquin Pedro Valdes and Ronav Jain’s duet of ‘Giants in the Sky’, and the irrepressible dynamo Bonnie Langford’s wonderful rendition of ‘I’m Still Here’ from Follies. These, together with contestant selected tunes from Saturday Night, Sunday in the Park with George, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A Little Night Music, Into the Woods, Company, Follies and Roadshow, reminded us of the depth, breadth and quality of Sondheim’s amazing catalogue and legacy. Few of the new musical songs quite matched up to his writing in composition or powerful reflections on human nature.

The judging panel, led by Edward Seckerson and Jenna Russell, had a difficult task to select a winner and did not reveal the criteria used. How do you compare and weigh the various elements in a performance? Song selection plays a part, and of course the quality of the singing but equally in watching the acting, storytelling, stage presence and audience engagement are essential in selling the performance and making a memorable impact. However, as an independent viewer, it was hard to disagree with their final results, although perhaps Tami Olufawo with her combination of ‘Broadway Baby’ from Follies and the amusing ‘Press Hash to Re-Record’ might have also got a highly commended.

As it was, the highly commended went to Oliver Halford with a wonderfully animated version of ‘I’m Calm’ from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and a quieter contrasting ‘Infinity’ from the Blackfriars Boys. Second place was secured with a brilliantly executed performance of ‘Tartarus’ from The Sorrows of Satan by Gavin Rasmussen, which had the audience whooping with appreciation.

However, there was no doubting the winner, Madeleine Morgan, who stood out with her two songs. She sang a lovely rendition of ‘Moments in the Wood’ from Into the Woods and an excellent new song ‘Running on Empty’ from Mayflies, written by Gus Gowland. Her prize was £1000 and the chance to headline their own Sondheim-infused cabaret in London. Given past winners and finalists have included Taron Egerton, Alex Young, Courtney Bowman, Cynthia Erivo and Oscar Conlon-Morley, we can expect to see some of these young performers in the West End in the future. And perhaps some of them can go on to have the career in the West End to match the truly wonderful Bonnie Langford who made such a charming and accomplished job of hosting the show.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Nick Wayne