Picture: Michael Wharley
Shanay Holmes in Concert at Cadogan Hall, London.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
Fresh from her award-winning West End run as Nancy in Oliver!, Shanay Holmes performed her first-ever solo concert at Cadogan Hall in London.
Accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by Chris Poon, Holmes presented a catalogue of some of the best-loved numbers from her career to date, as well as a selection of songs that have influenced her journey and love of musical theatre.
Stepping onto stage with the title track from The Sound of Music set the tone for the evening and perfectly suited Holmes’ crystal clear vocals, with the performance elevated even further by the stunning accompaniment from the orchestra, supported by the wonderful acoustics of Cadogan Hall.
The first act continued with a variety of mainly musical theatre numbers including those from shows Holmes has performed in – Get Up, Stand Up!, The Bodyguard and Thriller Live – as well as those that she resonates with on a more personal level, such as ‘Somewhere’ from West Side Story and ‘Not While I’m Around’ from Sweeney Todd.
A self-confessed Disney superfan and heavily influenced by Alan Menken’s work, ‘A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes’ from Cinderella also featured in Holmes’ setlist, again superbly set off by the orchestral backing.
While this was a clear opportunity for the audience to enjoy Holmes’ undeniable vocal prowess and range, if there was any overarching feeling from the first half it was perhaps a little overloaded with melancholy, with minimal variety in tempo.
Comprising almost exclusively of ballads, and each performed significantly slower than the original versions, there were times when a change of pace and the inclusion of a few upbeat tracks alongside the more heartfelt, poignant performances might have been welcome.
Holmes herself was also clearly overwhelmed with emotion and possibly nerves at the significance of the occasion, but this was remedied in the second act when she reappeared post-interval and announced to the audience: “I’ve relaxed now!”
The variation in pace that was slightly lacking from the first act soon picked up in the second half, featuring ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’, ‘People’ and ‘Everything’s Coming Up Roses’, rounded out with a much-anticipated rendition of ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ – reminding the audience of her recent portrayal of Nancy in the Chichester Festival Theatre production of Oliver!
Holmes’ rapport with the audience also became much more comfortable and conversational as she promoted her upcoming debut album Becoming, and spoke with sincerity and eloquence as she reflected on some of her favourite roles and the most defining moments of her career.
By the final ovation, Holmes had delivered an assured solo debut that balanced personal reflection with exceptional musicianship. While the programme occasionally lacked variety, the evening as a whole was a heartfelt celebration of the music and experiences that have shaped her career so far, and affirmed her status as one of musical theatre’s most captivating performers.
Sorcha Exworthy
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