by Sandra Harman

“Oh, the weather outside was frightful, but inside was so delightful….” and QuidPro Co’s production of The Best of Broadway was superbly delightful.

Despite the ominous thunder and the torrential rain which hammered the roof of the Hayward Street venue, the vocal quartet of Henry Kafoa, Kayleigh Marven, Jess Papst and Cristian Robba-Colley with the expert musical and vocal accompaniment of Dennett Hudson successfully took the appreciative audience on a wonderful musical journey through some of the best and most loved showtunes from composers such as Irving Berlin, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Schwartz, Frank Loesser, Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim, and the inclusion of songs from musicals such as Funny Girl, Jekyll and Hyde, Rent, and A New Brain gave voice to some other worthy composers.

With musical direction by Dennett Hudson, there was plenty to enjoy in this evening of musical delights. Presented in a simple cabaret setting that allowed the focus to be on the music and the outstanding vocal skills of the performers, the mix of group numbers, medleys, solos, and duets were well thought out and made for a nice, well-rounded show.

Full of so many musical moments performed with perfection, passion, and a sense of fun, it is hard to single out any one song or one moment. The harmonies in all the group numbers were exceptional, showcasing what a strong ensemble this was. In particular, the Sound of Music and the Les Misérables medleys really gave these performers the opportunity to show what can be done vocally as a group. There was some marvelous duet and solo work on show during the course of the evening.

The duets, Beauty and the Beast (Kafoa and Papst) and I Dreamed a Dream / On My Own (Marven and Papst) were of particular note and the stunning solo work performed on Memory (Marven), Empty Chairs at Empty Tables (Robba-Colley) and Bring Him Home (Kafoa) really captured the audiences’ emotions.

Fun was had with the Disney medley and the Lonely Goatherd number from The Sound of Music. Dennett’s Musical Medley was an absolute delight as he vocally and musically worked his way through as many musical numbers as he could in the space of 3 minutes – no mean feat indeed.

Of course, no Best of Broadway show would be complete without a tribute to the genius of Stephen Sondheim, and this segment of the show was a touching celebration of Sondheim’s life and work, featuring a 30-voice choir made up of performers from Harvest Rain Talent Academy and the Brisbane Academy of Musical Theatre.

It is easy to see why the previous season in October was sold out! This was a highly entertaining professional standard show designed to entertain, and it did not disappoint.

The Best of Broadway – Return Season is at the Hayward Street studios for only a very limited time and must finish December 12^th. Book your tickets here now!