Concert review/ On The Big Beautiful Musical Path

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR

The Stop-Gaps Cultural Academy/ On The Big Beautiful Musical Path

Featured artistes: Compere Asif Ali Beg, singers Sharon Prabhakar, Delna Mody, Marie Paul, conductors Alfred J. D'Souza, Premila Coutinho 

Genre: Musical theatre/ choral performance 

Details: St Andrew's Auditorium, September 12

Rating: ****

Mumbai's music theatre lovers were just about recovering from the NMACC Grand Theatre performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats when another group of felines crossed their path. On September 12, the Stop-Gaps Cultural Academy had a Broadway-themed evening at St Andrew's Auditorium, beginning with a three-song medley from the famed musical.

Appropriately, the show was titled On The Big Beautiful Musical Path. The main choral ensemble was conducted by Alfred D'Souza, chairman of the academy. Dressed in cat costumes for the opening piece, the actors moved their whiskers and paws under a makeshift moon to the songs 'Jellicle Ball', 'Mr Misstoffelees' and 'Memory'. The crowd meowwed in response.

The evening spanned a large number of Broadway hits, leaving out obvious choices like The Sound Of Music, My Fair Lady and West Side Story. Instead there was a tastefully picked selection with songs from Chicago, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Showboat, Follies and a number of other much-admired musicals.

Comperimg the two-and-a-half hour show, Asif Ali Beg blended fact, trivia and humour. Besides the main choral appearances, there were performances by the Stop-Gaps Junior Choral Ensemble conducted by Premila Coutinho. Noted singers Sharon Prabhakar, Delna Mody and Marie Paul chipped in with two solo songs each.

Marie came immediately after the Cats medley, showing clarity of tone and wonderful range on the 42nd Street title track. The children's choir came in next, with a well-coordinated medley from Seussical - The Musical.

Delna did a marvellous rendition of 'Bali Ha'i' from South Pacific, composed by Rodgers-Hammerstein. Another highlight of the first half was Sharon's 'Day By Day' from Godspell. Her singing on the Cabaret title track was smooth.

Asif sang a couple of songs post-interval, including 'You'll Be Back' from Hamilton. Highlights of this segment were the Notre Dame medley and Delna's humorous and vibrant 'To Keep My Love Alive' from A Connecticut Yankee.

One feature of the evening was the performances by the musicians, with pianists Mimosa Almeida Pinto, Darsh Rai and Janice D'Souza providing perfect accompaniment. Bassist Gerry Rebello and drummers Adrian D'Souza and Marcelo Fernandes completed the band.

The sound, lighting and costumes deserve praise. The only issue was that there were long gaps between some numbers. The rest of the show was above par. We're sure a lot of thought and rehearsal went behind this. The efforts bore fruit.




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