Vivo D’Arte A Night at the Musicals at the Waterside Theatre Aylesbury Review

Reviewed by Sharon Mongey

Vivo D’Arte is a production company that was founded in 2002. Over the last two years the company has been working with the Waterside Theatre, putting on a production of Oliver in 2017 and Whistle Down the Wind in the summer of 2018.

Last night (16 November 2018) we were treated to ‘A Night at the Musicals’ here at Aylesbury. Always a pleasure to visit this theatre, as always staff were helpful and well mannered, the toilets were clean and tidy. It remains one of my favourite theatres to visit.

It was a very packed auditorium, with a buzz of anticipation. Many of the audience were here tonight to support family members and friends; I sat in the stalls and was very delighted to find myself sitting next to the Mayor of Aylesbury.

A cast of over a hundred took to the stage; we were entertained with songs from musical productions that the cast had performed over the years. We heard songs from Les Miserables, Oliver, Little Shop of Horrors, West Side Story and Phantom of the Opera but to name a few, no fancy stage props or sets tonight, a simply lit stage with a screen showing images of the productions as the songs were sung and sung they were!

Hats off to the cast tonight who had only rehearsed 3 times before putting on tonight’s show, school children, college students and workers coming together, the cast not only sung but they performed the songs, they were a force to be reckoned with when they sang as a large group, you really get a feel as to what it would be like to see a full production.

Solo and duet performances were excellent, I would however say that it was a bit quiet in places and I struggled to hear a little, I loved the live orchestra.

My favourite performance of the night has to be ‘Bring Him Home’ from Les Miserables – performed by George Watkins, but the star that stole the show had to be Theo – aged 3, who entertained the entire audience during the Oliver numbers!

Look out for Vivo D’Arte, I would definitely recommend that you go and see one of their shows if you get the chance.

Rating: 4/5

For other shows at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury visit www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury or call the box office on 0844 871 7607.

Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP20 1UG | 0844 871 7607