The best acoustics I have ever experienced have always been in churches. The architecture and materials used to build them make them a perfect environment to bounce sounds around. When you grow up in a Welsh mining village you grow to love the sound that can be created within such walls. The acoustics in St Paul’s Church in Withington are some of the finest I have heard. Such a venue became the perfect environment for a group of people who without exception have wonderful voices that span the whole vocal spectrum. Add to this exciting mixture a musical director of imagination and experience and you have a potent blend.

The latest production by Act One Theatre Group is entitled The Other side Of Midnight. A compelling mix of much loved musical greats and ground breaking contemporary compositions. The production’s inspiration seemed to be from the machinations and human emotions evoked in such hours. To review each song would be long and frankly pointless. The level of vocal talent meant that each song, each scene matched and bettered the last.

The stage was perfectly set as the cast became the props required to set each scene (much praise should go to the costume team). The minimalist stage meant you were drawn each time to vocalists rather than their surroundings. They quite rightly took center stage.

A slightly nervous start was quickly forgotten as the opening bars of Whistle Down The Wind filled the auditorium. One of my personal favorites came next. Could We Start Again, Please had an appealing raw beauty to it that had the audience roaring their approval at the end.

One of the real strengths of Act One is the eclectic range of ages that comprise the production company. This was mirrored perfectly in the audience. All around me I witnessed mothers and fathers introducing their children to a form of entertainment that is steadily gaining popularity again. The surroundings of St Paul’s make an Act One production the perfect introduction to musical theatre.

As the evening progressed the performers on stage went from strength to strength. By the time 16 members of the company took the stage for a wonderful rendition of Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend the audience was enthralled by the sheer weight of talent in front of them.

Finally I have to note a sweet moment during one of the final songs of the first act. Peter Dinsdale, whose assured, note perfect performance had not been bettered all night gave a young male lead by the name of Michael Petty a priceless look of encouragement as the young vocalist burst out his part. This to me summed up the heart of Act One. They are highly polished and as professional as any company you would see in the Opera House, but essentially they are a close family of like minded individuals determined to keep the flame of musical theatre burning in our community. A thoroughly enjoyable evening and all the plaudits go to St Paul ’s Church and Act One Theatre Group.

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