Many would comment that November is too early to be engaging with Christmas festivities but I believe it is never too early to get yourself into the Christmas mood and White Christmas, performed by BOST Musicals, is certainly a good way to begin. This production stars several cast members who are very experienced in working with BOST and this showed as they took to the stage with confidence and enthusiasm.
Tony Prince and Chris Simmons played the roles of the beloved Bob Wallace and Phil Davis and made a good effort to mirror the comradery of Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye from the musical film we all know and love. Gina Phillips and Linzi Stefanov, who have also performed in several BOST productions previously, played the roles of Betty and Judy Haynes beautifully and displayed impressive, elegant vocals throughout. Mistakes are to be expected on the opening night of any production, professional or amateur, however it was a shame that some of these mistakes were so noticeable in this production.
The transition between different scenes was at times awkward and clunky and could have been resolved by music from the orchestra, who played beautifully throughout, to disguise the hustle and bustle that comes with trying to change scene settings quickly and efficiently. There were a couple of wardrobe malfunctions and timing difficulties which were a shame but I am sure these mishaps will have been ironed out now the opening night is over and will run more smoothly for the following performances.
Despite these mistakes, the tap sequences had the wow factor and appeared to receive the loudest, most enthusiastic applause of the entire night from the audience. Special mention must be given to Graeme Henderson who showed admirable stamina and it was lovely to discover that he has performed for BOST since he was 8 years old.
The cast were varied from old to young and it was nice to see so many of the young performers giving so much effort and showing commitment to giving their best performance. Special mention must also be given to Sofia Lawton who played the role of Susan Waverly and oozed charisma and adorable charm. She is certainly a star in the making and the scene where she was lulled to sleep by Bob who sings ‘Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep’ no doubt warmed the hearts of everyone in the theatre.
Overall, BOST’s White Christmas was a charming production and the perfect opportunity for families to introduce their children to the magic of theatre. It is a great way to embrace the Christmas spirit, the world needs a bit of Christmas cheer right now to keep spirits up. White Christmas is on the Liverpool Empire stage until the end of the week so grab tickets if you can and bring the family along for a lovely night out.
Reviewer: Sarah Goldsmith
Reviewed: 17th November 2016
