Review: The Barn Presents – The Music of Finn Anderson

Following the Barn Theatre’s first virtual musical theatre concert celebrating Dan & Laura Curtis (which was superb by the way), they are back with another cracker; this time celebrating the music of acclaimed Scottish composer and singer-songwriter, Finn Anderson. Another stellar cast of West End and Broadway stars have been lined up to perform a collection of Finn’s songs across the hour-long concert.

Anderson’s most recently staged work was a contemporary folktale called Islander, which won Musical Theatre Review’s Best Musical Award. The two-hander was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe prior to its run at the Southwark Playhouse, where it was nominated for an Off-West End Award for Best New Musical. As a singer-songwriter in his own right, he released his debut full-length album ‘Until The Light’ in June 2019.

Most excitingly, Anderson is the 2020 recipient of Cameron Mackintosh’s Resident Composer Award so he will work on projects at the Lowry and Hope Mill in Manchester for a 6-month residency.

His songs are frequently performed at musical theatre cabaret events and they are often a staple in a performer’s audition repertoire, due to the strength of their storytelling.

In conversation, Anderson comes across as a very humble and quiet type, like so many other geniuses out there! There is a good amount of variation in his work, from love duets to upbeat fun numbers, showing his versatility as both a performer and composer.

I enjoyed the sneak peek at a project he is currently working on (“an allotment musical”) with two songs performed by Rebecca Jayne-Davies and Emmanuel Kojo – ‘Taking On Government’ and ‘Garden In My Mind’ respectively. They feel very British and are lyrically strong. The latter of the two songs resonates in the current climate so is particularly enjoyable.

Other highlights include: ‘’Used To Say’ – a duet between Claire-Marie Hall and Rosalind Ford from A Mother’s Son (a project with the American Music Theatre Project in Chicago), Joanne Clifton’s sassy ‘Flick The Switch’ which is one of Anderson’s oldest songs from his solo album, the soulful Matt Henry and Ella Young singing ‘300 Feet’ from musical Streets and the stunning ‘Change Of Plan’ as performed by Danielle Hope.

Another thoroughly enjoyable concert from the Barn with more still to come.

To watch the concert, and others in the series, please click here.

To donate to their #SAVEOURBARN campaign, please call 01285 648255, donate online at www.barntheatre.org.uk/sob or text SAVEOURBARN and the amount you wish to donate to 70085. Texts cost the donation value plus one standard rate message.