A Bohemian Fairytale
★★★★☆ Magical music
Stockbridge Church (Venue 317): Fri 9/Sat 10 Aug 2019
Review by Sarah Moyes
The Bohemians Lyric Opera Company take us on a trip down the rabbit hole in this year’s Fringe show – at the Stockbridge Church for three performances only.
With a new production team at the helm, the theme of this year’s show is fairy tales. It features lots of songs from heroes, villains and witches of screen and stage including The Little Mermaid, Shrek, Hocus Pocus, Kinky Boots and Beauty and the Beast.
The Shrek sequence from A Bohemian Fairytale. Pic The Bohemians.
The show is split into different sections with each one brought together with a magical reading from narrators about the forthcoming sections of the show. It starts in Scotland as Kirsty Hogg leads the full company in a beautiful rendition of Touch The Sky from Pixar’s Brave. Up next it’s all about cats and dogs, which is apt given that’s it’s been raining cats and dogs all week in Edinburgh, as Sophie Harpur sings Macavity from Cats and He’s a Tramp from Lady and The Tramp.
From the tender looks and slow dance moves in Beauty and the Beast with Greg McCafferty Thomson and Kirsty Hogg to full upbeat ensemble numbers like Under The Sea, the choreography in the show is simple. But it’s all that’s needed here to ensure the songs are brought to life. It is helped by the echoing effect of the accompanying live band around the church.
The male members of the Bohemian’s take us on a voyage of the high seas in their section of the show. It’s fun and really entertaining as they sing their way through songs like Wild Rover which has the audience clapping along unprompted at the all the right parts.
complete surprise
The song list includes some you might be expecting and others that are a complete surprise like I’ll Put A Spell On You. Sophie Harpur is fantastic as Winifred Sanderson in that classic scene from the Halloween ball with Shona Sandison and Abby Gornall taking on the role of the other two witches as supporting back-up singers. Other highlights include a beautiful performance of Once Upon A Dream from Maleficent by Amy Macrae.
The show comes to an end with a melody of songs from Shrek, a nod to The Bohemians’ production of Shrek The Musical next year. The company changes the colour of their accessories for each section and come out with green belts and Shrek ears on their heads as they treat us to a final medley of upbeat and lively hits including Freak Flag and I’m A Believer.
A Bohemian Fairytale is a hugely entertaining mix of songs from the stories we all grew up with, so sit back and relax with a night of magical music.
Running time: One hour 10 minutes (no interval)
Stockbridge Church, 7b Saxe Coburg Street, EH3 5BN (venue 317)
Friday 9 – Saturday 10 August 2019
Evenings: 7.30pm, Mat (Sat only): 4pm
Tickets and details: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/bohemian-fairytale
Facebook – @bohemiansedinburgh
Twitter – @Bohemians_Ed
ENDS
