Review: Heart and Music

In Good Company have become an indispensable part of the Watford Fringe Festival annual lineup. But what exactly are they? As their illustrious leader, West End performer Ashleigh Fleming, pointed out in her closing remarks, they have too much choreography to be a choir, and too great a musical focus to be an amateur dramatics company. So what are they? A show choir? A musical theatre troop?

Whatever we decide to call them, what's certain is that they are a hugely talented, uber-enthusiastic group of dancing, quick-changing vocalists who know how to deliver a jam-packed celebration of musical theatre full of charisma, buoyancy and charm.

This is In Good Company's most ambitious show to date, not only in the diverse song selection but also in the challenging choreography, quick fire costume changes, rapid attack of repertoire and intense emotional layers presented with each number. They don't just sing the tunes, they invest each moment with character, mood and drama.

For a musical theatre fan like me it was a joy to hear a plethora of well-known songs brought alongside more obscure and newer melodies. The projections overhead clearly but unobtrusively pointed out which particular musicals the songs belonged to, which was a helpful and thoughtful addition. Standout favourites included the anthemic 'I Am What I Am' from La Cage Aux Folles, delivered by the five gentlemen singers with not only a sweet sense of comedy camp but also a genuine and sincere integrity. Similarly focused on the theme of equality, diversity and inclusion was the hilarious fairy tale fantasy 'Let Your Freak Flag Fly' from Shrek, presented with a dizzying array of uniquely costumed characters.

Throughout, there were beautiful duets and trios which gave the cast opportunities to show careful vocal blending and close harmonies. I was really moved by the trio of ladies who sang 'I Wish I May' from The Witches of Eastwick. They imbued each overlapping line with a wave-like sense of loss and nostalgia as well as a gentle optimism for the future.

The one drawback perhaps was the venue. Saint Mary’s Church provided a beautiful backdrop and the religious setting actually made many of the secular songs feel dangerous and risky again, as they would have been when first performed. However, it did sometimes mean that sound was compromised. While the brilliant Jon Ben on piano could be heard clearly all night, often the vocals when not amplified were lost. But that never meant we lost the track of the stories, characters or intentions. They were delivered with such confidence and scale that they came across to the very back row of the well attended space.

July promises a stupendous lineup of fringe performances for Watford. This was my first and I couldn’t have hoped for a more rousing start!