The 6th in a series of online concerts produced by Cirencester's Barn Theatre, celebrating the work of little known and up-coming British Musical Theatre composers aired over the weekend with current performers collaborating and singing from their own homes in isolation to showcase the music of Dominic Powell.
As always the concert was hosted by The Barn Theatre's producer Jamie Dixon, and there was helpful and interesting chit-chat between some of the sections in the concert.
Powell, it seems, was on the brink of seeing one of his musicals produced just prior to the lockdown in March, and some of the songs from that show, 'Cases', formed part of this evening's concert. I have not come across Powell before, nor were any of the songs or musicals featured in this concert familiar to me at all, and so I was very happy to learn something more about a composer whose music I found extremely lyrical and easy on the ear.
Powell also played the piano as the backing track for all the music in the concert as well as singing one of the songs himself too, proving to have a sweet and mellow voice, as he sang the protest song 'Unknown' from his show, 'Rosemary Lane'.
The songs were all what I would bracket as standard musical theatre style, with now and then the odd nod to a different composer / style, such as a Disneyesque / Alan Menken feel to 'Shining Star' from 'The Claim' (sung by Katie Renshaw), or a hint of Lin Manuel-Miranda in 'Burst Through Life' from 'Cases' (sung by Andrew Patrick-Walker). We even had a very Diana Ross / Motown sound going on with 'Heightened' from 'Cases' (sung by Maiya Quansah-Breed).
That's not to say that Powell's music is derivative, it isn't, it's actually highly original, heartfelt, and with lyrics to match the mood of the melody excellently every time. It's also quite rare in Musical Theatre to find a composer writing a high soprano female line so often. Normally the poor sopranos are given notes more in line with low alto, whilst the men are belting out notes higher than any soprano!
Ten songs from five different shows were on the menu this evening, but my favourite had to be the stunning duet, 'Lie With You' from the show, 'Legend'. This was sung superbly by Emily Chesterton and Bradley Judge (who I last saw live in Pippin at Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester a couple of years' ago). ... and yes, he did have to do the high falsetto harmonies in this piece, but it was great.
I look forward to a time when we can all go back into the theatres again and I have the opportunity of watching a Dominic Powell musical live from start to finish!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 9/8/20
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