The best of the British West End graced the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre stage on Friday night to perform the World of Musicals extravaganza. The cast of 10 performed to a sell-out crowd for more than two-and-a-half hours with hits from theatre smashes recognised around the globe.
The mood was set early with Circle of Life and Can You Feel The Love Tonight from the Lion King while Singing In The Rain was cheerful. ABBA hits from Mamma Mia were colourful and energetic before the poignant duo Falling Slowly from Once.
Mein Herr from Cabaret gave the ladies of the cast a chance to flaunt their seductive side while Grease Lightning, Summer Nights and You’re The One That I Want from Grease brought back fun memories of high school.
While the cast brought a lot of energy to the chorus numbers, it was the solos where they were given a chance to soar. Don’t Cry For Me Argentina was entrancing while Defying Gravity from Wicked never fails to give one goosebumps.
Love Changes Everything, made famous by Michael Ball in the lesser-known musical Aspects Of Love gave the crowd a chance to restock before they were on their feet to end the first half with Joyful Joyful and O Happy Day from Sister Act II.
The intensity remained in the second half with a delightful falsetto engaged in the Jersey Boy’s medley featuring Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry and Walk Like a Man.
Queen favourites I Want To Break Free, Somebody to Love and Bohemian Rhapsody went down a treat before an emotional rendition of Memory from Cats.
It was clear the cast thoroughly enjoyed their numbers from The Rocky Horror Picture Show (especially Time Warp) before a powerful version of Phantom Of The Opera was belted out.
Tenterfield Saddler from The Boy From Oz was well recognised before the cast sang One Day More from Les Miserables with great gusto.
I’ve Had The Time Of My Life from Dirty Dancing and I Am Australian by The Seekers were performed as encores to a standing ovation from a Bunbury crowd hungry for the show’s planned return to BREC next year.