Directed by Abigail Halperin

Musical Direction by Eric Rogers

Tickets from £10.00

Fancy a trip to Arendelle? Or maybe the sun-drenched coastlines of Ancient Greece? What about the dark depths of the Woods? Maybe – just maybe – audiences are looking to join in on that long journey down the tracks to Hades…

But you don’t need several thousand pounds worth of West End tickets or even a passport to the joys of Broadway. No, it’s all there, ripe for the plucking with rich enjoyment at the Magnusson Centre, Edinburgh Academy, as the Edinburgh Footlights stage their next ShowChoir with heaps of vim and determined passion. What awaits is a night which plunges audiences through a tour of hit musical numbers and sequences from a selection of crowd favourites and one or two softer, lesser spotlighted showtunes to guide all of us, some who wander alone, on a journey in which we are the architects of our dreams – however lofty they may be. 

The team under Abigail Halperin’s strong direction, reinforced with Eric Roger’s as MD, orchestrate a tight song list which offers a diversified evening that still finds a common element of thirsting for (not only adventure) that sense of self and purpose – whatever the cost. And ultimately doing so with oodles of mirthful talent and community. And following the group’s 2023 ShowChoir, the expectations were already pitched high, matched here pretty much from the word ‘go’.

Borrowing from the animated film and now hit stage-musical Hercules, the entire team is seeking to ‘Go the Distance’ with an opening solo from Mimi Boettcher following the fantastically energetic and spirited ‘Matilda Medley’ with Abby Harkness, Méabh Downey and Martha Keegan leading solo-elements to weave between the three songs from the musical version of Matilda. The structure is clean, flowing through one song to the next – very often with tightly orchestrated exits and entrances, neither showy nor overly elaborate, enough to smoothly shift from one number to the next, though occasionally with a more playful entrance involving some movement, or a performer shifting from ensemble to soloist. 

It makes for some memorable moments and solo performances from Marie Keinde and Nina Birbeck, proving the anticipated Disney hit numbers from Princess and the Frog and Frozen II. Keinde captures the marvellous jazz elements of ‘Almost There with confidence and swagger, while Birbeck brings the ethereal nature of Idina Menzel’s runaway success song ‘Into the Unknown’ featuring additional hypnotic siren calls, the pacing of it all building into a joyful moment.

Occasionally some of the cast allow their worries to overcome them (though this is some first-night jitters). And where there’s this concern of hitting the notes and guiding themselves through some majorly impressive moments, some cast members lose focus on the meaning and emotion behind the lyrics. It’s only occasionally noticeable where performers are (rightly) focusing on hitting trickier notes, and the expression and mannerisms don’t align with the connotations of the song. But even so, no solo is without merit and talent, and diction is maintained across the production, and everyone is giving it their all.

Most of the cast rise over these issues. None more so than Hannah Shaw and Ewan Robertson. Shaw’s stellar act one solo, ‘Lost in the Wilderness’, is performed with a control of vocals and projection while maintaining a healthy sense of character and emotional integrity in each lyric. While Robertson’s ‘Bring Him Home’ is as fragile and raw an experience as it can be, carrying the powerful Les Miserables number with determination and altering the higher notes to fit their cadence and rhythm. It’s carried with them in all the ensemble numbers too, which is where the production finds its most robust footing in harmony and energy – even with the restrictions of the stage size and larger cast. Though the whole set-up works well, with three platforms to offer levels and chairs which come and go to offer plenty of space, fully used by Maya Bayliss and Giulia Pesciarelli’s stage-pressence in both solo and duet pieces with some nice lighting throughout. 

When coming together, the ensemble performances capture everything which makes these ShowChoir events the spectacular demonstrations of brilliance they always are: ‘Wait For Me’ from the enormous hit Hades Town the stand-out moment across the evening. Each element of the direction from Halperin and Rogers comes together for a showstopping event. And Amelia Brenan’s choreography, which has a solid impact across every number (Brandon Yim taking full advantage of this with flourishes and leaps with pointed toes) shines brightest here with the weaves and suggestions of movement from the ensemble, wielding lanterns amidst the darkened stage as Max Middleton, Isabella Mandich and Birbeck’s performance bring the West End to Edinburgh.

And though they’re hidden behind a curtain, thankfully moved to allow for a well-deserving bow and applause, the band this evening pulled out a solid blinder, switching to a range of styles and genres with fast transitions to help keep the production to a snappy two-hour runtime, even with over twenty-five numbers. Rogers’ conduction keeps the pace going, and impressively the band and vocals find a balance which doesn’t intrude on the other overtly – with only one or two moments of imbalance where the band overtakes the vocals. The percussive elements ring out through the Magnusson Centre, with the entire band of Evie Alberti, Jamie Hunter, Srishi Ramakrishnan, Emma Cairns, Paul Tollin, Dickon Fell, and Ross Mackenzie really selling the whole night for audiences.

Drawing us further into act two, Aaron Venter, Guila Pesciarelli, Ellie Jackson, and the superb Scarlett Lloyd-Dickinson all receive their moment to shine and snatch it with relish. With so many solos and a whole journey of emotions and shifting dynamics, it’s a credit to the entire production team that at no point does the momentum dip or fade – even post-interval, there’s a buzz for more and more. It’s remarkable, and it’s all leading into a large-scale ‘Into the Woods’ Medley that features some returning soloists, and a chance for Noah Brooks to join in on the action as Jack (featuring Yim as a terrific Baker).

A remarkable celebration of the experiences and differences which drive us together, this musical journey manages to be both engaging and profound – with enough talent and gusto to convey an emotional journey, while combating a range of obstacles which ultimately define us. There’s a reason Musical Theatre speaks so passionately to people, and for a demonstration of its excellent range and ambition, there isn’t much better than the Footlights. Traversing the milestones and adversities of life, All Who Wander is precisely that: made for everyone. The acclaimed Edinburgh Footlights do themselves proud and leave a lantern of hope and dreams on for everyone heading out into the night: one of encouragement to be the builders of our own vision.

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