Queensland Pops Orchestra: Broadway on Screen is a production, performed at QPAC, Concert Hall on August 11th, that essentially brings together music that was first heard on the stage and then got so popular it moved to the big screen. In other words, music that started on the big screen and got so popular they made a musical out of it.
The lights dimmed and the impressively large orchestra made their way to the stage followed by Patrick Pickett, the conductor and host for the evening. The performance opens with three songs from Stephen Schwartz’s Godspell, which unsurprisingly from the title is gospel and dramatic in its composition. Patrick Pickett regales with light banter between songs and makes a formal apology for Lucy Durack’s absence, he goes on to introduce a locally sourced woman from Redcliffe by the name of Mirusia who is substituting for Lucy.
My ears swiftly pick up the opening notes of an instrumental rendition of Aladdin’s euphoric “A Whole New World” which medleys into “Friend Like Me”, void of the lyrics, the song takes on more of a swing revival style with jazz and blues overtones mixed with roots rhythms on the drums. It was definitely a personal highlight for the evening for me. The rendition of “Popular” from Wicked was meant to be performed by Lucy however a young female from the QLD Conservatorium steps in and delightfully plays up the cartoonish Betty Boop style performance.
“Pure Imagination” is a song from the 1971 film Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, it is perhaps my favourite musical and the performance of this was terrific. Jackson Head on vocals was brilliant, and it was enjoyable to hear the lush arrangements collectively swoop in from the chorus and float you through to the end. Mirusia looks the part when she comes out on stage in an elegant flowing dress and her voice doesn’t disappoint. Mirusia defies vocal dexterity and leaves a few audience members around me exclaiming that the hairs on their arms are currently standing.
The best performances of the night come from the staggeringly large ensemble cast of twenty-three Griffith University Queensland Conservatorium artists, many of whom I have seen before in the fantastic performance Company. On two songs an additional twenty something extra backing singers line the corridors and during the finale, a performance of the Andrew Lloyd Webbers classic “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”, the ensemble knocks it out of the park with their energising and upbeat dance moves. The soaring voices combined to escalate the song to a triumphant climax.
Whilst it would be interesting to see the original set and line-up, I left the performance with great moments and memories, and was amazed at what these performers brought to the stage.
August 11th, 2018
QPAC, Concert Hall
Review: Thomas Harrison