ReviewsGate

View Original

We Need A Little Christmas - a charity variety concert performed in the Actors' Church, Covent Garden to raise money for Shelter & Crisis at Christmas. Streaming to 2 January 2021. William Russell.

The concert is available on www.stream.theatre
Single ticket - £20.
Family ticket £30.
Both plus booking fees.
You can also find it on Broadway On Demand.

Directed by Michael Strassen with a host of people you will have seen on the West End stage in pretty well every musical of recent years this is a star spangled, sequin studded, lip gloss, false eyelashes and mascara in abundance extravaganza. Pretty well every Christmas song you could think of gets sung by someone, each in their own special way. The highlight, however, is a gloriously acid monologue from Dame Maureen Lipman, whom there is nothing like, talking about things contemporary and the "Eton mess" running the country. Simon Callow reading an article about Christmas written by Dickens, who more or less invented what we enjoy today, is just as impressive, however. As for the cast, each shines in their own special way and Loose Women;s Denise Welsh is a benign host. If one has to pick anyone it is Lee Mead who gets to deliver Santa Claus is Coming to Town backed by the West End Gospel Choir. He does his duty above and beyond as he gets to leave the hallow premises of St Paul's Covent Garden, the actor's church, and perform the final number - In My Arms for Christmas - in the streets of London.
No stars because this is not a commercial undertaking, it is a charity affair - but all of you who love the West End musical will find this Christmas medley a genuinely star spangle occasion as the cast show all the talent they normally send across the footlights to a live audience.

Cast
Christine Allado, David Bedelia, Simon Callow, Kevin Clifton, Brenda Edwards, Sheila Ferguson, Amy Hart, Dom Hartley-Harris, Sophie Isaacs, Cassidy Janson, Charlie Kristensen, Maureen Lipman, Lydiua Lucy, Lee Mead, Peter Polycarpou, Jodie Prenger, Sharon Rose, Sally Ann Triplett, Max & Grace Milner,The Vivienne, Denise Welch, West End Gospel Choir.Director: Michael Strassen.
Associate Di-rector: Paul Nicholas Dyke.
Musical Direction: George Carter.
Production Design: Andrew Exeter.
It ispresented by Thomas Hopkins & Michael Quinn for Ginger Quiff Media.