Kim Ismay - ex Tanya

[Jazz]

there's a charity cabaret event that Kim Ismay is doing next month. Kelly Rainford (ex 1st cover Tanya) will be there too!!

www.moment-um.org/events.htm


it's the april 30 event

[kk]

Kim has just started back as Tanya in the Edinburgh run of Mamma Mia. Anyone going to see it?

[Jazz]

she's on for 8 weeks right? i wanted to go see her show next mnoth, unfortunately it clashes with my trip to the philippines!!

[kk]

Yes, she's there for the whole run - 'til 20th May. It was the opening night in Edinburgh last night and the show was excellent.

[Jazz]

aw Kim is excellent...

MArtin Ball is gonna be there too!!! ooooh wish i could be in two places at once

[Jazz]

here's the article that reviews mamma mia last nite in Edinburgh:

DURING the seventies, Agnetha, Anni-Frid, Bjorn and Benny took over Volvo's mantle as Sweden's most popular export.

Collectively known as Abba, the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest winners sold more than 350 million records worldwide.

Little wonder then that the return of Catherine Johnson's smash hit musical saw the queue to the Playhouse snake up on to the steps of the Omni Centre.

The standard announcement of the prohibition of cameras was followed by "We would like to warn patrons of a nervous disposition that platform boots and Lycra will be used in this production." The tone was set.

Abba's feel-good songs lend themselves perfectly to the musical format, with Johnson skilfully weaving an engaging story around the band's best-known hits.

The story sees Sophie (the excellent Emily d**es) preparing for her wedding to Sky (Michael Xavier) on their Greek island home.

The 20-year-old doesn't know who her father is but, reading through her mum's diary she discovers that, the year before Sophie was born, her mum had "dot dot dotted" with three men.

Any one of them could be her dad so she invites them all to her wedding, hoping to learn the truth about who she is.

The star of the show is Sophie's mum, Donna, brought to life by the wonderful Jackie Clune.

Her vocal talents were best demonstrated with a powerful rendition of The Winner Takes it All.

Having said that, there were no weak performances. Potential dad Bill (Sean Kingsley) running away from Rosie (Nicola Blackman) as she tried to serenade him with Take a Chance on Me was one of several great comedy moments. Kim Ismay as Tanya, spurning the advances of an energetic young suitor, was also on fine form.

Second "dad" Harry (Dale Rapley) only got one song, Our Last Summer, but he more than did it justice. His soft voice contrasted sharply with the gravelly tones of dad number three, Sam (Cameron Blakely).

Gimme Gimme Gimme was by far the best sequence of the show. Choreographer Anthony Van Laast's brilliant routines featured the entire cast as Sophie conversed with each of her three possible fathers. While she talked to them in the foreground, the music died down and the chorus moved in slow motion behind her, before starting up again with another energetic burst. It was brilliant direction from Phyllida Lloyd and musical theatre at its very best.

Scene changes were seamless, the revolving set fulfilling its role to keep things moving.

The live music, conducted by Robert Chalmers, had the theatre rocking, although the big chorus numbers were far more effective.

This was obvious when Clune and Blakely's rendition of SOS - once described by rock legend Pete Townshend as the greatest pop song ever written - was a mere shadow of the Abba original because it wasn't afforded the full chorus treatment.

But, by the end of the evening, the floor of the circle was shaking as dozens of people could restrain themselves no longer and got up to dance.

Before launching into a rousing finale of Waterloo, Clune said: "Thank you Edinburgh. Would you like one more?" Ask a silly question.

Runs until May 20

[kk]

The person who did the review obviously didn't realise that Sophie was actually played by Daniella Gibb (who usually plays Lisa).

[kk]

The Momentum charity cabaret went really well - Kim and Kelly were joined by Kieran Jae (ex-Pepper), Amy Hill (Tim Stanley's wife) and Kelly's husband David (currently understudying Raoul in Phantom). Martin Ball was compere and Carlton Edwards was MD. In the audience, watching the ex-Mamma Mia stars, was one of the current Dynamos - Helen Hobson. Anyone else from this forum there...?

[michaela]

Sounds like it was a great night! Wished I could have gone - maybe I really should consider moving back to London!

[TS]

Any photos from the cabaret?

[kk]

Unfortunately, I was too far back to get any decent photos during the cabaret.

[Jazz]

what a shame...sounds like it was a great night!!

[kk]

It was brilliant! They are all such good singers. I hadn't heard Kieran or Kelly sing before, even though I've seen them loads of times in Mamma Mia. Kieran also did a very impressive tap dance. Kim chose a really good bunch of people for the cabaret. Roll on the next show!

[kk]

Just thought folk might like to know that Kim's just started rehearsals for the tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

[ThinkPink]

Really wowish! What part is she playing? Would be cool if she was playing Baroness like Jane Gurnett was! x

[kk]

Yes, she's the baroness.

[ThinkPink]

o0 cool! Role Swapping

[kimfan]

Kim is going to be appearing in "Top Hat" later this year - more details on her redesigned website www.kimismay.com.

[abbaoticmicheal]

james got his sister (Kimmi), pregnant