Encore

Langcliffe Village Institute

IT is a tradition in Langcliffe that there is a Twelfth Night Celebratory Concert held in the institute to mark the end of Christmas and to enliven the dark days of winter.

This year was no exception and the institute committee organised the return of the group Encore last Saturday evening.

The group comprises six members; each individually talented but also able to blend into a very tuneful group.

The programme was well suited to the audience, especially as it had been crafted especially for the Langcliffe audience.

It included a variety of songs from the musicals and sing along numbers from the sixties and seventies.

There were two dramatically delivered numbers, ‘Little Girls’ from Annie and ‘Adelaide’s Complaint’ from Guys and Dolls, sung by Donna, which were both very well received.

The cast had apologised for their own ailments before the show, and there was an occasional ‘frog’ or shortened note. There was also a slight difference of opinion between the accompanist and striking soprano, Julia, over the key for ‘Tonight’ from Westside Story but compromise on both parts ended in a tuneful solution and Julia hit all the high notes expertly.

The drama of the night occurred off stage when a small conflagration lit up the audience when a candle and some serviettes came together, but this was speedily extinguished by the rapid application of soft drinks.

This caused a small interruption to the medley from ‘Me and My Girl’ but no lasting damage was done.

The highlight of the concert was in the second half when the group performed a medley from ‘Forbidden Les Mis’.

It was very funny and had the audience rocking with laughter.

It was an excellent night’s entertainment and anyone who gets a chance to see Encore in the future are strongly advised to take it.

Helen Jarvis