Crookes Community Performers’ Crookes Mini Musicals – 1 August 2026, Crookes Social Club
Review by Claire Taranaski.
What do you do when as a company who love musicals you cannot decide which one to perform? A lot of companies will do a show full of their favourite numbers from across the musical board but Crookes Community Players do something different, performing shortened versions of a classic classic, a cult classic and a modern classic musical in one evening and with a very, very large company (I’m not going to try and count their performers) it offered a fun and entertaining evening which on the whole worked well.
It only seems to take until the first chorus of the full ensemble opening “There’s No Business Like Showbusiness” for them to shake off any first night nerves and from there to the closing “We Go Together” I could see this is a company for all ages that has fun together, supports each other and loves performing. Producer Jules Rushforth, director Adam D’Aubney, musical director Charlies Rushforth and choroegraphers Julie Guihen and Natalie Bayarri got the very best out of the full cast, often a packed stage and captured the style and energy needed for the three very different musicals.
The triple bill kicked off in style with “Oliver!” and this kicked off in style with “Food Glorious Food” a child full ensemble packed with wonderful vocals and fun choreography and letting me immediately know the Lionel Bart’s musical was in safe hands. I soon realised that although songs had to be edited out, partly I’m wondering not just for times but for the vocal talents of the characters and staging, the ones kept in here worked. Joaquin Bayarri captured the naive innocent of the title character, Joe Tully the young charm and cheek of the Artful Dodger in “Consider Yourself” and Natalie Bayarri made Fagan her own in “You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two” (it’s a shame we didn’t get to see her tackle “Reviewing The Situation”). However it was Cara Guihen as Nancy who blew me away with her moving rendition of “As Long As He Needs Me”. I must also give a special mention to Sophie Priestley who even before uttering a word captured the menace of Bill Sykes with a single glare.
Confession time, Little Shop Of Horrors is my joint favourite musical of all time so I couldn’t help being slightly disappointed by the edits to the musical and it’s alternative ended (apologies to anyone who heard me explaining to my daughter the actual ending during the interval). However Oliver Basford was perfect and captured a more mature Seymour and his vocals were perfecr both on his own and bringing out the best in his co-stars when duetting with them from “Grow For Me” to “Feed Me” from Jen Sloan as Audrey II (I was not expecting that soulful voice from that performer and she made the killer plant her own) and bringing out the best in Sarah Williams as Audrey in “Suddenly Seymour”. This is the first production where I have seen the three backing singers increased to four and Izzy Sloan, Hannah Shillltoe, Kerry-Anne Allen and Amy Fearnehough as Ronette, Chiffon, Darlene and Diana were at their harmonious and chemistry best in “Da-Boop”. I must also give a special mention to director Adam D’Aubney and his brief appearance as the narrator, instantly reminding me of Peter Serafinowicz and who I would loved to have seen take on Orin, and the props team for the mini Audrey II (I want one and will promise not to feed it blood).
For a stage musical so iconic for its look, costumes and puppetry I thought it was brave for an amateur company to attempt Lion King but I should have had more faith as Crookes Community Players blew me and my daughter, who couldn’t decide what animal she wanted to be more, with Hannah Shillitoe as the Giraffe and Edan Hayward and Kerry-Anne Allen as the Gazelles standing out for their costumes and puppetry, along with the headdresses of Simba, Mufasa and Nala. The opening and closing full animal ensemble number of “Circle Of Life” gave me goose bumps. Sam Guihen as Mufasa brought an emotion to the role that Disney could not manage either animated or live action. Aria Middleton captured the youthful enthusiasm of young Simba perfectly and “I Just Can’t Wait To Be KIng” was a fun delight to watch. Sophie Priestley and Leon Cabe as Timon and Pumbaa made a fantastic fun double act with their friendship shining through making “Hakuna Matata” another fun delight to watch and providing a smooth transition between young Simba and adult Simba played by Phoebe Williams who wonderfully captured the fun seeking rebellion vs loyalty and maturity of age. Phoebe’s duet with Evie Lister as adult Nala “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” felt genuine and emotion full and I think Elton would approve.
Behind the scenes I must also mention the wardrobe managers and costume makers, make up, hair and animal masks, who blew me away during the Lion King but also were spot on for the likes of Fagan and Audrey II and set and props who with a clever use of painted signs, projections and minimal but effective props brought the scenes to life whilst allowing them to move them on quickly and efficiently.
I look forward to seeing which three musicals Crookes Community Performers combine next year and in the meantime their production of Beauty & The Beast (which we got a sneak preview of in between musicals) will be added to the panto schedule.
