With the government’s ‘roadmap’ out of lockdown changing by the day, it is now more important than ever to support our wonderful theatre industry to ensure the world we all know and love is able to open up fully, bigger and better than before. This second performance of Monday Night at the Apollo, with its changing cast of singing superstars, celebrates the pure joy you get from theatre, but also live music as a whole, while supporting an Acting for Others. The performance was also livestreamed for people who weren’t able to attend, to watch at home.
On Monday 14th June, the cast for the concert were Shan Ako, Arthur Darvill, Sophie Evans, Sandra Marvin, and Jamie Muscato and was hosted by Greg Barnett. It felt like an intimate evening with some of the greats of stage and screen sharing stories from their careers and signing songs that meant a lot to them.
While the beautiful Apollo Theatre (the home of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) was at reduced capacity, the atmosphere was electric! The house felt full and the audience were having a wonderful time singing along and dancing and the performers knew how much fun everyone was having.
The performances were absolutely mind blowing! Encompassing a range of styles, from country to jazz, and of course musical theatre, as well as some of their own music and compositions. Taking everyone on an emotional rollercoaster with upbeat classics like ‘Rocketman’ by Elton John (performed by Jamie Muscato) and ‘Popular’ from the smash hit Wicked (performed by Sophie Evans) transitioning into ballads including ‘On My Own’ and ‘I Know Where I’ve Been’ performed by Shan Ako and Sandra Marvin respectively with their vocals stunning the audience.
As a big Doctor Who fan, I was very excited to see Arthur Darvill, famous for playing Rory Williams during Matt Smith’s tenure, and perhaps his musical theatre credits are not so well known. For me he was the standout of the night. Covering a vast range of styles from his first number, his own adaptation of ‘True Love Ways’ by Buddy Holly to ‘Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk’ by Rufus Wainwright, and of course his outstanding duet with Sophie Evans of ‘Suddenly Seymour’.
Overall, the second Monday Night at the Apollo was a fantastic evening that would make the heart of any fan of live performance sing! The simple staging consisting of just a red curtain helped the audience to focus on the performers as well as the insanely talented band, keeping the whole affair more personal and intimate. Monday Night at the Apollo not only provides a much-needed night out, which many of us have been longing for, but also supports a wonderful charity.
A percentage of the profits from Monday Night at the Apollo supports Acting For Others, which provides financial and emotional support to all theatre workers in times of need through the 14 member charities.
