This year was the second annual
West End Heroes at the Dominion Theatre. Hosted by Christopher Biggins, this
was a night of patriotism, passion and pride. Biggins
has graced our screens for more than 40 years and is a much-loved face in show
business. He brought charisma and character to the evening; his notoriously
camp presenting style injected a real sense of fun to the night and he won over
the whole crowd with his fabulous style; both in fashion and performance. Any
man who can float into a show in a bubble with as much grace as Glinda the Good
is worthy of the standing ovation he received at the end of the night.
The evening was led by The
Central Band of the Royal Air Force who orchestrated all performances
throughout the evening. They were absolutely sensational. The brass section in
particular was outstanding, and every member, including the fabulous
conductors, should be commended. They were also supported by the West End
Heroes choir who performed both as their own group, but also as a support to
other acts throughout the night.
The singing kicked off with The
RAF Blue Belles; a trio of female singers who perform war-time classics such as
"Oh Jonny" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". We were treated
to versions of "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" and "Diamond's
are a Girls' Best Friend". Credit to the girls whose voices blended
beautifully in harmony, and who performed in perfect sync, even when hijacked
by a cross-dressed Biggins who disguised himself as a member of the group!
The cast of 'Elf: The Musical'
including Ben Forster and Kimberly Walsh performed a medley of high-spirited,
comedic songs which won a fair few giggles. It provided an excellent taster for
the production which looks like it will be a great family-fun musical filled
with laughs; perfect for the Christmas season.
Mazz Murray then took to the
stage and wowed the crowd with her powerful voice in her swing style adaptation
of Dancing Queen/Waterloo. In a floor length, sequined, blue dress and
sky-scraper "incredibly expensive" shoes, her knockout appearance
matched up to her immense voice. She later joined Biggins and the Queen's
Colour Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment in a marching routine and showed off
just how sasssy she is! With hip wiggles and winks that Marilyn Monroe would be
proud of, she was simply fabulous.
One of my highlights of the
entire night was the mini Shrek reunion between Bradley Jaden, Aaron Lee
Lambert and Kimberley Walsh. We've all experienced situations where song lyrics
gain a new meaning and "Who I'd Be" from Shrek did exactly this last
night. Bradley Jaden is one of the best vocalists I have heard live in a long time. He was the stand out male vocalist
from the entire evening and together with Walsh and Lee Lambert, the trio gave
a performance which was so amazing, I had tears streaming down my face as I
became overwhelmed with emotion.
Just as I managed to stop
sobbing, we were introduced a remarkable woman called Maurillia
"Simi" Simpson. Ex-Servicewoman Simi served in Iraq 3 times, but was
tragically injured while in Germany in 2010 while cycling to work. She sung
"His eye is on the Sparrow" with Kate Leiper from the play "The
Two Worlds of Charlie F". There was not a dry eye in the house by the end
of this incredibly emotive performance from such an inspirational woman. In
just a few minutes, she symbolised everything that the entire evening was all
about.
Act One ended with a stunning
showcase from The West End Heroes Dancers
Next up - Memphis. Now, you'll
have to excuse me as I take a moment to get on my knees and bow down to Rachel
John who delivered an absolutely flawless performance of "Colored
Woman". In a pastel lilac gown, Rachel John looked like a princess, but
sang like a warrior and she absolutely blew the roof off the Dominion theatre.
What a powerhouse! She was then followed by her suited and booted co-star Jon
Robyns who belted out "Memphis Lives In Me" and also delivered a
stellar performance.
I would now like to commend The
Royal Marine Corps of Drums who were phenomenal in several performances across
the evening, but particularly during "Once We Were Kings" from Billy
Elliott. Again, there was hardly a dry eye in the auditorium after this rousing
and passionate performance from the drummers and the West End Heroes choir, as
well as The Colchester Military Wives Choir. You could feel the emotion pounding
through the performers’ hearts, and the audience was totally captivated for
every moment of this wonderful performance. Later in the evening, the two
choirs joined together again for a heart-breaking version of Abide With Me
which was equally as poignant and moving. (I would just here like to add a
quick personal thank you to my very kind neighbours in the stalls for
comforting me as I sobbed my way through these performances!)
We were then treated to ‘The
Music of the Night’ and the title song from ‘The Phantom of the Opera’. Phantom
alumni John Owen-Jones showed us just how good you have to be to lead a cast
through a West End run, a UK Tour, and a Broadway run. His chemistry with the
sensational Celinde Schoenmaker was excellent, and together they gave the
audience two breathtaking performances.
The evening began to draw to a
close with a spell-binding magic performance from Jamie Raven who somehow
managed to tear up a newspaper and put it back together in-front of an
entranced crowd, and made a child LEVITATE! If that's not magic, I don't know
what is. Following this was Squadron Leader Matthew Little's valiant effort of
"'Til I Hear you Sing" and a stunning solo from Charlotte Jaconelli
who sung the title song from "Love Never Dies" in a note-perfect
rendition, accompanied simplistically by a piano. At just 19 years old,
this soprano held her own against professionals who have been in the industry
longer than she has been alive, so credit where it’s due – she was
extraordinary.
El Ocho then took the crowd on
a journey through the vocally demanding Bohemian Rhapsody and it was AWESOME
before we were treated to the grand finale of a bugle led song composed by
Captain A.C. Green which led into the whole cast uniting to sing "Do you
Hear the People Sing?" led by the incomparable Bradley Jaden (who is
currently starring as Enjorlas in Les Miserables at the Queen's theatre) which
concluded the night in perfect, rousing West End fashion.
To see the best musicians in
the military share a stage with the best of the West End really is a very
special thing indeed. This show was not the Royal Variety Performance, as it
did lack polish and there were occasional technical hiccups, but I wouldn't
have changed a single thing about it. I laughed, I cried (a lot), I smiled and
I danced along in my seat. It was the perfect night out, and for anyone who
loves variety, it's a must-go-to event.
Help for Heroes aims to
“Inspire, Enable and Support” ex-servicemen and women. Soldiers,
sailors and airmen who are injured today will still need our support tomorrow
and in the days that follow, for the rest of their lives. They are still
battling and we should not let them battle alone. Please support this incredible
cause by donating at http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/donate/
Review by Harriet Langdown
Rating: ★★★★
