Review: SONGS FROM THE SHOWS WITH CLARE TEAL AND THE BBC SINGERS, Milton Court Concert Hall

It’s finally December and there’s nothing British theatre does better than one-off festive entertainment. London has started swarming with mince pies, Christmas shows, pantos, and jolly gigs. In preparation for a pre-recorded stint on the radio later in December, recording artist and broadcaster Clare Teal joined the BBC Singers for a lovely night of show tunes and cheer. From Cole Porter to Stephen Sondheim, from Richard Rodgers to Irving Berlin, it was a bona fide walk through the who’s who of musical theatre with an added dash of Christmas nostalgia — a delightful production in all aspects and the perfect kick-off to the Advent. 

By the time people hear it on BBC Radio 3 on the 22nd, it will be the very last engagement of the Singers before they celebrate the choir’s 100th anniversary in 2024, so the atmosphere felt extra special. Although it kept being referred to by Teal as a “Christmas party”, it was so only in spirit, as the venue was strikingly undecorated for the holidays. While it was a bit of a downer visually, the vibe properly turned after the first act when the Golden Age pillars of the genre were met by beloved Christmas favourites.

Teal sprinkled the evening with delicious, sleek humour and plenty of tongue-in-cheek ad-libs when she wasn’t infusing a jazzy feel to each track alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra. A beautiful rendition of “It Might as Well Be Spring” from State Fair opened her part. She also gave us a fun “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and a stirring “O Holy Night” before concluding the performances with a double feature from Annie Get Your Gun.

The vocalist shared the stage with a handful of soloists from the choir who stunned with meticulous emotion. A couple of highlights were Jamie W. Hall’s “Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific and Clare Lloyd-Griffiths’ “If Love Were All” by Noël Coward. It will definitely be worth a listen. Between musical theatre classics and sentimental ditties, this festive offering caters to quite a specific slice of music-loving audience.

Songs from the Shows with Clare Teal and the BBC Singers is airing on BBC Radio 3 on 22 December.

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