This latest concert in the online streaming platform’s Reunited series brings together some of the cast of Pretty Woman the Musical.
It has been a tough time for so many in the theatre industry, which is why it is so lovely to see some of the casts of West End shows being brought together in this way to share stories and incredible vocals.
This concert sees performances from Jemma Alexander, Aimie Atkinson, Hannah Ducharme, Bob Harms, Serina Mathew, Gareth Weedon, Rachael Wooding, Joanna Woodward and Charlotte Yorke – all of whom are a part of Pretty Woman the Musical.
Filled with laughter, tears and a whole lot of love, Never Give Up on a Dream is a wonderful (if slightly too short in my opinion) way to celebrate musical theatre and music in general – with powerhouse performances forming the heart and soul of it all.
Never Give Up on a Dream gets off to a really dreamy start, with Aimee Atkinson delivering an utterly beautiful rendition of ‘Anywhere But Here’ from Pretty Woman the Musical, which had only officially opened when theatres were forced to close.
The romantic undertones of the convert continued with a lovely arrangement of Roxette’s ‘It Must Have Been Love’, performed with great feeling by Aimee Atkinson and Rachael Wooding. Their harmonies offer a really interesting new dynamic to the song.
But there are also more upbeat numbers that show off the power and confidence of their vocals including an electrifying rendition of ‘Somebody to Love’ which really soars and features some incredible notes from all of the performers, giving them all an opportunity to shine.
Standout performances include a spine tingling rendition of ‘For Good’, performed by Jemma Alexander and Charlotte Yorke. The depth and range of their vocals is utterly mesmerising – succeeding in bringing a tear to my eye. This could also be said for Rachael Wooding’s understated but heartfelt rendition of ‘With You’ from Ghost the Musical. The emotion that shines through both these and the other performances captures just how much they all miss doing their job.
There was also an enjoyable performance from Bob Harms (who plays Mr Thompson in Pretty Woman the Musical) who performed ‘Who Can I Turn to?’ with a lovely sensitivity and velvet quality vocals.
Never Give Up On A Dream feels like a real celebration of everything that musical theatre and live performance is all about. It is a great feeling to experience this again – even if it is through a screen and not in person. Congratulations and gratitude to all those who have worked so hard to give us all entertainment to keep us going through this time.
Heartwarming, fun and entertaining this was a really lovely way to spend an hour in the company of some extremely talented individuals who I can’t wait to see back on stage again soon.
By Emma Clarendon
Never Give Up On A Dream is available to watch via Thespie.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐