Shona Lindsay, Shonagh Daly and Shona White presented their cabaret The Three Shonas at The Pheasantry, London
The Three Shonas performed at The Pheasantry, London.
Shona White, Shona Lindsay and Shonagh Daly, each of them having made their mark in musical theatre, thought that if there were The Three Tenors, then why not a cabaret act, The Three Shonas? And what an inspired idea it turned out to be for the London Festival of Cabaret. With little chat and plenty of stylish singing, their show is a knock-out and a most welcome addition to the cabaret circuit.
Accompanied by Simon Beck on piano, Nick Walsh (bass) and Steve Gilbertson (drums), the ladies provided a rollercoaster ride of entertainment. Their opening number had them strutting their funky stuff before they introduced themselves. With a clever pastiche of Kander & Ebb’s ‘Liza with a Z’, Daly gave vent to her annoyance of having the ‘G.H’ left off her name.
‘Music of the Night’ was a heady mixture of fine harmony and individual styles and was countered by the comic ‘What a Movie’ from Bernstein’s opera Trouble in Tahiti, the tricky lyrics of which were mastered by Lindsay. The pairing of ‘Just in Time’ and ‘Maybe Next Time’ enabled White to let rip on emotion. Returning to comedy, the girls had fun with ‘My Simple Christmas Wish (Rich, Famous and Powerful)’ during which they took gentle swipes at Susan Boyle and Barbra Striesand.
The second half kicked off with a medley of songs that paid tribute to The Supremes. The mood changed as thoughts of Remembrance Sunday allowed the trio to mark the occasion with the poignant ‘If This Is What We’re Fighting For’ and, from Chess, the feisty ‘Nobody’s Side’.
A trilogy of lost love songs enabled each of them to display their individual styles – Lindsay in ‘With One More Look At You’, White with ‘The Man That Got Away’, and a highly emotional ‘Time Heals Everything’ from Daly.
The talent displayed by the ladies makes one hope that we do not have long to wait before they are seen back on the boards in musicals. In the meantime their cabaret act will bridge the gap.
Barrie Jerram
www.londonfestivalofcabaret.com
Check out reviews of other performances in the London Festival of Cabaret:
Steve Ross – Ridin’ High – Crazy Coqs, London
Michael Feinstein and Friends – Palace Theatre
Janie Dee – St James Theatre Studio, London
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