GABRIEL – Studio Cast Recording (SimG Records – SimGR-CD039)
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Written by Andrew Fisher and Nick Stimson, we have a new take on the nativity, seen through the eyes of angel Gabriel who sees this task as his chance to earn his much longed for promotion to archangel. However, he has absolutely no idea of what is about to happen and anyway, he has his own ideas on how God should be dealing with the situation. For those of you who are weary with the traditional story of the nativity, you have a treat in store.
An exceptional cast takes us through this retelling with songs from every genre thrown in for good measure. There is much humour in the piece and it trots along at a good pace. Something for everyone. One can’t help but sometimes be thrown back to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat or Jesus Christ Superstar but that’s something you have to live with when tackling the bible musically. This is in no way demeaning the quality of the score, it is just a fact of life.
Among the large cast are: Daniel Boys (Gabriel), David Bedella (King Herod), Stuart Matthew Price (Joseph) and Lauren Samuels (Mary) – all of whom flesh out their characters in grand style. A special mention to the shepherds (James Gillan, Joel Montague and Kit Orton) who add some very welcome comic touches. The piece is accompanied by a small but talented band led by Andrew Fisher.
I hope that maybe next year we will be able to see this take shape on stage and, who knows, maybe even filmed and shown every Christmas. It is definitely one to watch and a bit of a shame that it will only reappear around this time of the year.
Nick Wakeham
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