A Celebration of Musical Theatre at Derby Theatre Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Emma Baxter
Mark Robert Petty’s The Musical Theatre Spectacular was performed at the Derby Theatre. It was an energetic and entertaining celebration of musical theatre. For my family and I, who love musical theatre this was pretty special.
The performance brought the excitement of the West End to our local venue, featuring a variety of well-known songs and characters from popular musicals. The fact that it was the West End cast made it even more special and memorable. It was great to see Luke Mccall, Laura Pick, Luke Suri, Chris Weeks, Carolyn Maitland and Charli Baptie performing on stage. They were incredible. Their vocals were expressive, and their stage presence kept the audience engaged throughout.
They performed and sang songs from Les Misérables, Wicked, Back to the Future, Mamma Mia and many, many more. My particular favourite was when they all sang One Day More from Les Misérables, it was such a powerful performance. And when Luke Mccall sang Bring Him Home you could have heard a pin drop, it was stunning.
For saying the orchestra was only small it sounded incredible.
The atmosphere of the evening was lively and welcoming from the moment we arrived. We were encouraged by the cast to join in, sing, clap and tap our toes, which is what we did from start to finish. There was a real sense of excitement in the theatre, with the audience eager for the performance to begin.
The show included a mix of upbeat numbers and emotional ballads, giving the audience a taste of different musical theatre styles. The staging was very simple, a backdrop with a few twinkle lights but that’s all that was needed. The female cast members had a couple of dress changes and the men looked very smart in their suits. The lighting and sound were used effectively to highlight key moments, helping to create a more immersive experience for the audience.
One of the main strengths of the performance was its variety. The show featured familiar musical theatre favourites, making it enjoyable for people of different ages and levels of theatre experience. The performers’ confidence and energy helped maintain a high level of entertainment throughout the evening, ensuring there was never a dull moment. Mark Robert Petty was a great host and introduced each song.
Another positive aspect was the sense of celebration. The show successfully captured the spirit of musical theatre by combining music and acting into a lively showcase. Events like this are designed to bring well-known musical theatre songs and performers together in one special performance, and it did exactly that. It also highlighted the importance of live performance and the joy it can bring to an audience.
Overall, The Musical Theatre Spectacular was an entertaining and upbeat performance that successfully celebrated the excitement of musical theatre. With talented performers, familiar songs, and a lively atmosphere, it provided an enjoyable evening for audiences and showcased the creativity of live theatre.
The evening was held to raise funds for the Lewis Sewell Memorial Trust. Lewis died at the age of 18 after he had battled terminal cancer. Today would have been his 24th birthday. All proceeds go directly to the Trust in honour of Lewis, who wanted to create a legacy that would support aspiring actors and performers. Two young performers, Evie-May Dobb and Jess Steele who have been supported by the trust performed A Million Dreams and their performance was beautiful.
This really was the most magnificent celebration of musical theatre and we will never forget. SPECTACULAR!
Ticket price £37-£67
With £67 included a drink and you could meet the cast
Rating: 5/5.