HURRAH FOR FESTIVE SPIRIT Elizabeth Silsbury - The Advertiser - 20 December 2006 Georgeously Christmassy stage - tinsel everywhere, tree-shaped lights marching aloft, Santa-hatted musicians, lady soloists in very, very bright red - carols galore in scintillating arrangements plus a few well-chosen short orchestral pieces such as Russian Dance because we are all Russian about at Christmas - terrible puns but even the rude bits were funny; at last.....a decent, entertaining family concert. Glitzy-vested funnyman conductor Timothy Sexton kept the whip up to the Adelaide Art Orchestra, and Brenton Whittle jostled with him for top dog job (you conductor, me MC) and read from Max Fatchen. Emily Burke almost conquered her breathlessness for O Holy Night. Johanna Allen sinuated body and voice in De Virgin Mary and, with her Gentlemen Prefer Curves buddies Carol Young and Catherine Campbell, did a mean Eartha Kitt on Santa Baby. That very model of a consummate hoofer Dennis Olsen read C.J. Dennis and casually invited the audience to join in the gabbling chorus of his patter song from Pirates of Penzance. And they did! People do love to sing. Adelaide Vocal Project came down from their perch for some seriously hilarious mucking about with the whistles and drums of the Haydn Toy Symphony. Carol Young revealed that even the ratchet can be sexy. Lots of stars, both twinkling and performing, but all eclipsed by the sudden, as if by magic, appearance of the Silver Jubilee Organ. Peter Kelsall got it roaring for a mighty Hallelujah Chorus. This sumptuous parcel of Christmas goodies, which entranced a full house, including a large number of ankle-biters, was Sexton's concept, realised by courtesy of AFT supremo Douglas Gautier and his multi-talented team. Happy Christmas to them all. |
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