So after having been part of the audience of ‘Once’ the night was not over!! As after a quick 10 min walk to the Dominion Theatre to attend this years MadTrust West End Eurovision!
I discovered this charity performance whilst looking up videos of various musicals on YouTube, this time was looking up ‘Rock of Ages’ as I believe I had just booked my tickets to see if for the second time and was getting excited already! One of these videos was the original London cast performing ‘Wolves of the Sea’ during last years West End Eurovision, so I started to look it up, wanted to know more about it, and most of all was there one this year, and find someone to go with luckily I did, and luckily I got tickets and great seats!
MadTrust’s West End Eurovision is a charity late night performance, shown at the Dominion Theatre (home of We Will Rock You) in London. MadTrust or Make a Difference Trust is a charity that provides HIV care, support and education. With a wide range of fundraising idea’s and a lot of support, one of these is TheatreMAD, where the West end Supports this amazing charity in doing various charity events, including WestEnd Bares, and a Christmas show. Though tonight on the 23rd May, it was WestEnd Eurovision. This is where 10 top West End shows currently playing compete in there very own Eurovision, by each performing a different song from a past Eurovision and make it there own, they get judged but 2 performers from each of these musicals, given them points like the countries do in the Eurovision ranging from 0 points to 12, and also get voted in by the audience at the end of the show. They also compete in a video Indent each with its own unique comic approach which gets voted by the public and rewarded with a prize! just look at the MadTrust YouTube account to see each ident from this years they were really good!
This years contenders were:
Top Hat
Viva Forever
Once
A Chorus Line
Phantom of the Opera
Wicked
Mama Mia!
Spamalot
Rock of Ages
Billy Elliot
With an Opening Number by hosts-We Will Rock You
Now for me this night was West End celebrity heaven! with loads of cast members wondering about, and also those of television, for while waiting for the show to start I was spotting all those I could find and if I could a chance to speak to them. first off was Graham Norton, for why wouldn’t he be there being the commentator of the Eurovision, I only got his autograph but he was very kind enough to have a small chat! But then I saw an oppourtunity to grab Nathan Amzi, from Rock of Ages and ran down to say hi and get a photo.
Tonight he was not performing but supporting Rock of Ages and Judging the others. Then right before the show started myself and Hayleigh (who was my partner in crime) spotted Jon Robyns, who also was not peforming but Judging for Spamalot, annoyingly we just caught him just as the countdown was starting so we only got a quick autograph and the chat would have to come later!
After a countdown had finished and the show had begun, with an opening number of the past Britain Entry’s performed by cast of ‘We Will Rock You’ and there is a reason that they are my favourites! the host tonight was named Richard Gauntlet who was great with his comic moments, he introduced this years celebrity judges, this years were X Factor contestant Rylan Clark, Strictly Come Dancing contestants Russell Grant and Lisa Riley, and Nancy winner Jodie Prenger. He then went on to host the first half of shows performing for the winning title. The First Half were:
A Chorus Line, Performing Party for Everybody (Russia 2012)
Mamma Mia!, Performing Euphoria (Sweden 2012)
Once, Performing All Kinds of Everything (Ireland 1970)
Rock of Ages, Performing Johnny Logan Tribute (Ireland 1980/1987/1992)
Spamalot, Performing Playback (Portugal 1981)
Phantom of the Opera, Performing Hard Rock Hallelujah (Russia 2006)
The opening of the night was ‘A Chorus Line’ and they did get the audience going with the comic of dressing as Russian and performing Party for Everyone getting us warmed up, I was laughing so much but their choreography also was amazing, and you can tell by the show that they perform in.
Then Mamma Mia! up performing Euphoria which I had no idea was a Eurovision song and quite enjoy to dance to when I’m out in the clubs, they kept it traditional and performed the number with great dancing numbers , and stunning singers (also have to congratulate them on the great professionalism during the technical glitch at the beginning of the performance!).
Then the show I saw that night Once’ was up performing a very unique performance of All Kind of Everything with interesting costumes that allowed them to perform out the words of the song in a great comic way, but also they like in their show performed the music also, demonstrating the uniqueness of this musical to the audience in front, which led them to a great ending. Then Rock of Ages took the stage with a Tribute of Johnny Logan songs that entered into various Eurovisions, and I have to congratulate them on their amazing voices, and you have to love them cause the show is amazing, but being that their last years entry was one of the reasons I was there that night I was looking for something similar, and sadly it wasn’t what I was expecting, but either way they did put on a great show!
Then Spamalot another favourite or mine stood before the audience and performed playback, a very techno approach, and a secret treat with the appearance of Bonnie Langford at the end to seal the deal, and a standing ovataion at the end! Cause my word the lady can still dance and high kick!!
Then the last act on for the first act was Phantom of the Opera. Performing the most winners of 2006 and the one I remember the most Finlands Hard Rock Hallelujah. letting their Rock side out of their operatic show, and you can tell they were enjoying something different, and an original approach to the song, and especially enjoyed the phantom being pushed around with a little drumkit!!
And so ended Act one and giving the audience a small break to have a relax and reflect on what they had saw, and a chance for me to do some star scooping, first off seeing as we didn’t have a chance to talk before was Jon Robyns and to get a photo, and I was so surprised he actually remembered me from twitter, we chatted briefly about the show and their entry and a quick photo before letting him go and see other people. really need to go and see the show again and see him as Galahad…love him!
Then I grabbed a autograph from Anne Jane Casey, the Lady of the Lake in Spamalot, now performing in Billy Elliot and was there supporting as a Judge. Then as returning in my seat I spotted him Oliver Tompsett at the very back of the theatre audience, so a quick jog I went up to have a chat autograph, and a photo, I even spoke to him about never replying to be on twitter with my many tries and he said he would try next time (but to be honest did something much better as he started to follow me on Twitter!! still in shock!) I wished him the best of luck for being a dad as his wife was due in July and then returned to my seat for the second act.
Second act shows were:
Top Hat, Performing Genghis Khan (Germany 1979)
Viva Forever!, performing This is the Night (Malta 2012)
Billy Elliot, performing I Can (United Kingdom 2011)
Wicked, Performing Wir Geben ‘Ne Party (Germany 1994)
Top Hat, was up first and they did a great rendition of Genghis Khan with Alex Gaumond performing as Genghis and acting out the song in a great and acrobatic way! It was the performance that I got some good snaps of!
Then Viva Forever, allowing the men of the cast to perform up front in This is the Night, and showing off the amazing body they get from dancing every night, must admit the theme of the night was show as much skin as you can in many of the performances, especially legs…but yeah although there indent kind of gave the audience a little bit of awkwardness having just found out that the show was to close at the end of June and there indent was one that showed the show going on to perform for 63 years and the original cast were to remain in it. they showed how un-phased they were and got the audience going! and seeing that they have talent and the voice!
Then up came the Big Reunion parody group ‘Turquoise boys’ from Billy Elliot who performed boy band Blue’s Song ‘I Can’ and boy can they I Can with the classic cheesiness of a boy band performance and the dramatic hand movements and posing, with the old lady videoing them. But they also brought out surprises with a little Ant and Dec ‘Lets get ready to Rumble’ and Margret Thatcher appearance, they received a standing ovation much deserved!
Then Last but not least Wicked performing a German Eurovision song, with wacky afros, and 70s attire they were boogying on the dance floor in a theme of a after hours club. although it was enjoyable to watch, it wasn’t one to stand out in the performance in my opinion.
So the performances had finished and it was now to the points board, first was the best video indent which had been voted by the public before the show and the winner was much deserved Phantom of the Opera (
http://youtu.be/l9lrOybVTkU ) then on to the performance scores, and each of the 2 judges from each show came and gave their points for scoreboard. The High favourite and the end of point giving was Once, but then it was onto the audience text votes, and we were giving 10 minutes for our opinion and during this we had a special appearance of Katrina, from Katrina and the Waves and post Eurovision winner singing Love Shine a Light, and then the classic Walking on Sunshine, which had everyone out of their seats, and dancing in the aisle singing! a great performance to get us ready for the winner.
And so at the end of all the performances and the points tallied up our winner was…
Once! and a much deserved win too! and amazing that I had just seen the show that evening, (like to think I was a good luck charm!) they were all surprised and raced and jumped onto the stage to retrieve their trophy and then give a finale of their versions of All Kinds Of Everything! which was given a standing ovation throughout! it was just so greatly presented and got the audience roaring!
And so ended the West End Eurovision, and with everyone leaving the only place to go was to the stage door, where everyone was celebrating and hanging out, and a chance for autographs and photos, first up I got Christopher Biggins (who was there presenting awards) and then Katrina from Katrina and the Waves.
Then a quick slide in to chat to Gok Wan!(also there to present awards and discuss what the charity did) who was so nice just like he is on telly!
And then the last two photos I go were with the cast of Rock of Ages! below in the group photo, is Dan Fletcher, Jodie Jacobs, and Natalie Andreou. Then with Tim Driesen underneath.
Everyone was hanging out backstage and Once were still celebrating and playing instruments in the alley, we got some more autographs from the ones we didn’t get to see at the stage door before on the programme of the show, and many of them remembered us when we met them before which was really nice, then sadly I couldn’t get any photos but I quickly ran in front of the Spamalot gang (who came in a deserved 4th) to get their autographs and have a quick chat. So with all this meeting of some of my favourite performers at the end of the night my programme looked like this.
Quite a success if I say so my self!
West End Eurovision is a night I shall remember, and I am thankful that I stumbled upon that video in January to allow me to attend such a enjoyable and fun evening! even if you aren’t a fan of West End, or you haven’t seen all the shows, or maybe your just a fan of the Eurovision I highly recommend this show, and its for a good cause that you are helping. Can’t wait to get tickets for next years! cause yes I am going!!!
