Review: OVERTURE LIVE - THE MUSIC OF DANIEL AND LAURA CURTIS, The Hippodrome

The fact that what was once London's world famous Talk Of The Town is now a casino, albeit a well appointed one, rather makes one of Daniel Curtis's points at his showcase held at The Hippodrome - the very same Talk Of The Town, now renamed after development.

New musical theatre, despite the support of the likes of BBC Radio 2, new entrant Encore Radio and streaming services, is a tough gig (literally) to get off the ground. For every Lion King ($1.3B on Broadway to date and counting) there's admirable work being done for Equity minimum rates (if that) above pubs and in improvised spaces. All shows need the mysterious alchemy of music, lyrics, book, performance and that indefinable grit in the oyster if they are to succeed - and it's bloody hard work even if it fails!

Songwriting duo, husband and wife, Daniel and Laura Curtis have ambitious plans and the boldness to assemble a cast of big West End voices to run through their latest album and give us a sneak preview of emerging projects in this show (to be staged again at The Crazy Coqs on Sunday May 7). There's a glitch or two with the technology to iron out before then and, perhaps, a bit more context to provide for the songs with maybe a variation of tone or two introduced to the first half in which the power ballads (and, boy oh boy, these guys can write a power ballad) come thick and fast. 11 o'clock numbers are all well and good, but it can't be 11 o'clock for 45 minutes! As faults go, that's not a bad one to have I suppose.

Highlights included Charlotte Jaconelli (whose timing and precision have improved in leaps and bounds since I reviewed her in She Loves Me two years ago) with a waltzy "Three Quarter Time", Andrew Bateup's "Grimaldi's Soliloquy" from a work currently in development with Tony nominated Bryce Pinkham and a wonderfully Paul Robesonesque "Keep Dancing On" by Emmanuel Kojo. The show finished on a high (and very long) note with a sensational "Why Am I Falling" by Olivier Award nominee, Tyrone Huntley. The intimate room on the first floor almost burst with talent!

There are too many other cameos to name, but every singer gives it the full pipes and pays a fine tribute to the style of singing that one finds in the theatres within a stone's throw of Leicester Square with songs with the oomph and the passion the singing deserves. It won't necessarily be the same roster of singers in future gigs, but if belt and vibrato is your thing, these A list West End performers will not disappoint you!

You can find out more about Daniel and Laura Curtis here - I'm sure we're going to hear much more from them very soon.

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