Who doesn't like a bit of Tom Jones and Cilla Black.. and the promise of a whole evening of music devoted to them seemed like manna from heaven. This was the latest presentation from North West Theatre Arts Company (NWTAC), based in Moston, North Manchester.
The concert was in two halves, with the first act devoted to Cilla Black. Here, actress Beth Singh portrayed the Liverpudlian icon in her younger years - the mid sixties - perhaps at the height of her popularity. This was not the first time I have seen Singh as her alter ego, and she truly embodies Black. From the moment she walked on stage and throughout her 50 minute stage-time, she simply WAS Cilla. Her voice, her actions, her gait, and her voice all giving a fully-rounded, sympathetic, and superb impression of the former pop icon. Her set included some favourites, interspersed with a few of her lesser known songs, including a couple I have (as far as I know) never heard before.
After the interval and it was the turn of Adam Parker-Brown to reinvent himself as Sir Tom Jones. Once again, he performed a solo 50-minute set, and again, mixed many of Jones's standards with a few lesser-known or unknown tracks. There was one huge difference though here with Parker-Brown. Right from the start he made it clear to us that he was not Tom Jones, he was simply doing an impersonation, and as such, we knew he was just acting. Again, Parker-Brown chose to impersonate Jones in his most popular years, when he truly was a sexy pop superstar, and although at times he did sing very much like Tom Jones, he never sounded like him when speaking. It was also quite unnerving sitting on the front row during his performance, whereas I never felt at all vulnerable or uneasy during Cilla Black's stage time.
Sadly for me the sound levels were set far too high for the size of the venue, and seated as I was, very close to one large speaker, I was bombarded with noise rather than being able to hear the songs at a suitable level. Both acts used pro playback tracks which worked nicely. and the lighting and effects worked well throughout. I had thought though that perhaps, with NWTAC being a training academy and having its own company, they might have used a few of its members to fill out the stage and provide backing vocals or dances to some of the songs, but unfortunately that was not the case.
Beth Singh WAS Cilla Black and was obviously very at home and enjoying herself; whilst Adam Parker-Brown's Tom Jones routine would be ideal for a summer season at either Butlins or a sea-front Blackpool hotel. He would go down a storm there!
Reviewer - Alastair Zyggu
on - 16.5.25
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