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Some impressions of Sunday. It started in the park (with daughter Emma, not George!) Beautiful warm afternoon eating ice cream and waiting for the long running matinee to finish - thrilled it was still going at 6.30pm as it meant we were in for a long performance!
Once we were seated and had chatted to the same faces that appear everywhere that Philip goes, the huge choir trouped in, all dressed in white T-shirts with little red hearts.
The show started with songs from Porgy and Bess. Elegant and passionate Laurie Williamson accompanied by dancers in white satin (I was fascinated that despite spiralling on her bottom on the floor the dancer's trousers remained spotless - yes I was close enough to see!) Also close enough to see that Roger Moore is looking wonderful. I cannot believe that he is the same age as my dad! He had me in stitches several times during the evening.
Then on walked Philip singing 'Oh, What a beautiful mornin' from Oklahoma!, casually dressed with designer stubble. (For Antonio perhaps?) In powerful voice and magnificent as always. Lauren was a sexy but sweet 'Girl Who Cain't Say No'! Irresistible surely? More songs from Oklahoma!. Why haven't I noticed Graham Bickley before?
Emma was thrilled to be so ‘close' to Glenn (sorry!) after being so impressed by her in Streetcar Named Desire. Her description of being ‘Trevved' during rehearsals was interesting!
'Bali Hai' has to be one of the most haunting melodies ever and to hear it sung by so many voices was incredible.
Songs from Aspects of Love, Starlight Express and Chess rounded off the first half. A treat to see Lauren on stage with her husband Alan. How satisfying that must be!
Exciting performances from Cats and Anything Goes were followed by Alan Campbell and Glenn Close and Sunset Boulevard. I feel so privileged to have seen Glenn singing 'With One Look'.
Judy Kuhn's 'Meadowlark' from The Baker's Wife was the most moving song I have heard in a long time. Enchanting. I hope she records it sometime. And then a complete change of mood for a stomping 'Patriotic Song' from Nicholas Nickleby. When the choir all turned their backs to us momentarily we wondered what was coming - Union flags waved at us by the thousand!
Teri Bibb and Alex Jennings made me want to rush out and buy tickets for My Fair Lady before it closes!
And then Les Mis. All of 'Stars' thank goodness. Strange to see Javert dressed in a smart suit but I'm sure you can all hear that voice in your heads. Wonderful! Emma's description of Tommy Körberg singing 'Bring Him Home' was ‘Wow' and indeed it was. Little Ellie Nunn sang 'Castle on a Cloud' beautifully to her Dad. An incredibly sweet clear voice. I thought the rousing 'One Day More' would be the finale (Lauren and Alan came on as modern day Thénardiers - jeans, sunglasses, hilarious!) but of course Trevor Nunn came up onto the stage and we were then treated to an uproarious song and dance routine by several of his old friends including Roger Moore. I laughed and laughed!
There's 'A Light at the End of the Tunnel' from Starlight Express kept the tempo going with little tabs of red paper flying everywhere - and then they were gone!!
I am so impressed that such talented people all came together with such magnificent performances for just one day! The charities will certainly have benefited for as far as I could tell the house was full!
I could go on and on of course but would only increase the jealousy of those of you who couldn't be there and those that were will have your own specail memories.
