The Phoenix Arts Club
As Blue Monday billows into our lives, instead of fighting it, why not lean into the misery? Musical Theatre fans rejoice in a rather wet way for this evening of classics, mashups and lesser knowns.
Buried deep in the soil of the West End, The Phoenix Arts Club resembles the bedroom of a truly fanatic theatre geek. James Edge, manager of The Old Joint Stock in Birmingham and West End Best Friend Productions saunters onto the stage, blue suit, lounge singer grin and comedy routine. Our MC for the evening has the unenviable task of livening things up between the songs of betrayal, heartbreak and desertion. This is park and bark at its most simple, thankfully with live piano from MD Callum Thompson and some enigmatic singers.
This is for hardcore MT fans. Thinking myself part of this glistening crew I knew only about half of the songs and my friend only three. A drive to cover the unusual shows combine to make an evening of firsts, both good and bad, peppered with a few classics.
Federica Basile instantly kidnaps our eyes and ears. In a red prom dress, sequin-studded she is a vocal magician. Controlled, flighty high notes, belting: it’s all poured out from her lungs. Add passionate characterisation and connection with the audience, a rare talent who is no stranger to the West End. Exploding into No Good Deed from Wicked, although testing her powers (a very demanding song) she comes out victorious, if a little shaken. Back to depression a burning renditions of She Used to Be Mine from Waitress glows with regret. Finishing her solos with You’ll Never Walk Alone, no not from Liverpool FC but from Carousel. Right in her upper register, the only description I can find is celestial.
With the show being on the move, Edge recruits local talent, alighting on Dora Gee ahead of her staring in The Old Joint Stock’s production of The Mad Ones in Birmingham and also The Other Palace Studio. Gee totters on (hobble skirted) in a blue shimmery number. She doesn’t mess about, getting stuck into Maybe This Time from Cabaret with a soft sad and sensitive interpretation. She brings the same vocal vulnerability to Company’s Being Alive, yet shows versatility with a lively song from The Mad Ones to a modern dance beat. Fantastic No-One But You from We Will Rock You is a crowd favourite and a rousing end to the evening.
Edge also gets stuck in, gustily attempting two mashups and two gender-bent solos. Although I applaud his Moxie Rose’s Turn from Gypsy which has overcome many a singer. His choices however have opened my eyes to lesser-known musicals such as Ordinary Days and Fly By Night and he certainly throws himself into the characterisation. Sinead Kenny, looking the most stylish of the lot, has some corkers from Losing My Mind/Follies to As Long As He Needs Me from Oliver. A highlight being Your Daddy’s Son from Ragtime, intensity and push. Opening our eyes to another unknown (for me) Elegies For Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, a musical about the AIDS crisis, a few eyes start to moisten at this one.
Two group songs, Les Miserable and Matilda break up the solos but aren’t as awe-inspiring, while a few duets, one from Little Women and Parade are enjoyable. Overrunning and therefore missing the last West Side Story song is a shame. Despite some prestigious talent the evening is a little uneven and cobbled together. Did I shed a tear? Well almost as Basile soared through Ghost’s With You, and I would defy anyone with a beating heart to stay dry-eyed at such a masterful performance.
