I thoroughly enjoyed a West End Sunday night at Foundation bar in Covent Garden where one of its underground chambers transformed awkwardly but effectively for the night into a cabaret spot, and twelve or so young musical theatre singers and a great band enthralled an enthusiastic home crowd with a series of songs from shows.
There's two reasons to look out for the next one of these events produced by RYCA. The first is to discover some wonderful fresh talent many of whom are stepping alone into the spotlight for the first time from the ensembles of top West End shows. The other reason is to hear some exhilaratingly original versions of well known songs.
Expertly musically directed and mostly musically arranged by Sonum Batra, who invited me along, the evening featured some surprising re-thinking of modern classics which really shouldn't work but which succeed brilliantly.
The unusual interpretations allow you to rediscover songs you thought you knew in whole new ways. For instance I was amazed what a fantastic and sultry torch song the group gospel number "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" from Guys and Dolls can be when slowed right down and performed by a one sexy, sassy singer (Ellie Mitchell)
We were also treated to a particularly luscious boy band version of “Seize the Day” from the musical Newsies, Tell me on a Sunday’s title song as a gorgeous indie-chick ballade (sung by Abbi Hodgson) and an unusually soulful Feed the Birds with an exhilarating rap segue (Elander Moore) I also enjoyed two songs I’d never heard before from a musical called either Our of Our Heads or, more likely, Out of Our Heads depending on which page of the programme you look at.
It’s all the brainchild of 22 year old Motown cast member, Ryan Carter as an offshoot of a business he’s started videoing audition songs. This has obviously given him access to an amazing pool of talent although most performers are currently his fellow graduates from The Urdang Academy. This makes their performances all the more impressive as the primary focus of an Urdang training is dance rather than singing, yet from what I saw these triple-threat performers (meaning they’re adept at singing, dancing and acting) can easily compete with students who get a more rounded training elsewhere.
The website www.rycacreative.com is also rather muddy, it’s early days yet and it could do with an “About Page” with some clear, concise, basic information but keep checking in here at londonboxoffice.co.uk and I’ll try and let you know when their next gig is. See you there.
It’s been announced that John Pielmeier’s stage adaptation of The Exorcist will open at London’s Phoenix Theatre on October 20 to running until March 10, 2018. It is produced by Bill Kenwright, whose production of 