This is the review of The Tony West Entertainments Showcase

20th October 2011

by

'The Stage' Newspaper

Tony West Entertainments Grand Annual Showcase 2011

Published Monday 24 October 2011 at 13:54 by Mark Ritchie

Covering my second showcase in the space of one week, where the agency principal has recently died, was a sobering thought as the clans gathered in Liverpool for this key annual showcase event. With Tony West now sadly gone, it was time for the Brown family, led by Barbara, to reveal their showcase feathers. This venue is perfect for large-scale showcases, such as The Stage’s Showcall Showcase event, if at any point this great event was resurrected.

On a chilly October night it was down to the Tony West promotions girls, clad in their sexy sailor suits, to provide the welcomes. Former Showcall Showcase compere Tufty Gordon kicked things off with the aid of a song and a clarinet. Tufty reminded us the dear departed West was watching and that we should all have a ball.

After a rather reticent opening address from new agency principal Barbara Brown, things started rolling immediately with vocalist Kimira and the Tony West Dancers. The six-strong, pink feather clad female dance troupe somewhat overshadowed the fine vocalist on stage behind them as they strode and pouted their way through Lady Marmalade. Once left to her own devices, with a version of The Noisettes’ Always Remember Me, this wholesome-looking brunette gave a good account of herself. I hope Kimira’s name will have been noted by many present in this trade-only audience.

Staged in a function room with a nautical theme, it seemed appropriate that most of the showcase bookers represented a variety of cruise companies. Next up was comedian and magician Sean Heydon, and I loved him. Imagine a much more animated version of Alan Davies as Jonathan Creek and you are close. The approach was just far enough away from comedy club style to be of interest. A performer as fresh, fizzy and original as this one deserves success.

There aren’t too many Mick Hucknall impersonators out there in tributeland and Brian Woods is a convincing soundalike. A bit light-brown haired for a red-haired tribute subject, but Jones sings with great conviction and there should be some interest in him as a result of this event.

A succession of sound problems dogged much of this showcase event. The reasons seemed pretty elementary. There were clashing radio microphone frequencies, easily foreseeable feedback problems from the stage left entrance and much unwelcome monitor feedback. At times there was a lamentable lack of vocal reverb for the singers. It was singer LeeAnn James who tiptoed through the sound minefield to make her mark, singing confidently and managing to rise above the obstacles with humour and aplomb.

Rob Hendy is a Newquay-based comedy magician, whom I haven’t seen for quite a while. The more old-school end of the cruise business should be a happy hunting ground for Hendy. The patter is nice and some of the sight gags are lovely, clean and clever, especially a very well-executed shooting gallery routine. In short, a polished artist.

Next came Caroline Pooley, a classically trained soprano, who opened, oddly, with Time To Say Goodbye. First, the good points here included a pitch-perfect soprano voice, a stunning gown, high cheekbones, expressive doe-like eyes and natural looking stagecraft skills. I would list the minus points as I see them, but I can’t think of any. This Cornish lass is surely a star in the making.

Where Chaplin was perhaps the poet of comedy, Buster Keaton was surely the genius comedy mechanic. The entertainer Donimo always reminds me of Keaton - The Great Stone Face. Now based in Spain , it has been far too long since I last saw this world-class speciality entertainer in action. Armed with a dollop of pathos and sheer stage presence, in any other age of show business this entertainer would already be an enormous star. At times Donimo seems capable of moments of genius. Stuck as we are with phoney talented shows, why can’t our friends in television see what acts like Donimo can offer? As ever, I am at a loss.

I took a look at rat-packer Dean Gee at a recent showcase and his Dean Martin impression was in equally fine fettle. Another victim of sound problems and a still undiscovered clashing radio microphone frequency, Gee was another artist who on this night used humour and professionalism to deflect attention from the technical problems going on around him.

Closing out the first half was Motown singer Marvin Ruffin. A member of the famed Ruffin family, the eye-catching performer was dressed to impress. This was first-class entertainment from a gold-suited crooner with a winning smile and a great voice.

After the interval, The Tony West dancers were joined by singer Kristofer James. I’m not sure why he spent all his time with his hands thrust in his pockets or why the designer stubble was so long on such a bonny young lad. It all looked like a case of style over substance which, given the level of vocal talent here, was a real shame.

Van Buren and Allyson are as good a magic speciality act as you may find out there right now. Always impressive, prepared, skilled and thoroughly entertaining, this act is a real market-leader. The beautiful Allyson is much more than a prancer and Andrew Van Buren really knows his business.

Witty and personable tenor Laurence Robinson has the performance skills to constitute a crossover artist within the cruise entertainment scene. The operatic training, which is evident as he moves from aria to aria, will please the purists, while the fun approach and the audience participation skills will please the cabaret fans.

I will never understand why so many solo female artists opt for the one name option. Of course, it never did Lulu or Cher any harm, but when you are an up and coming mezzo-soprano, I’m not sure that Iona is all that memorable as a stage name. This very nervous-looking ingenue style performer took a while to get going, but when she did the voice sounded magical.

Reviewing comedy entertainer Matt Edwards is a genuine pleasure. Finding the words and tapping them into a laptop computer while crying with laughter and vibrating like a harp string is a big ask. Edwards reminded me a little of Joe Pasquale, with a dash of Lee Evans and just a hint of Michael Crawford in his Frank Spencer incarnation. This was my first look at this irresistibly funny comedy magician and this is young talent at its very best.

Late replacement Andy Kellett needs dressing for the stage and could also do with some advice on how to chat up a Scouse crowd. Clearly not ready for this level of activity, I hope to see young Kellett again when he has a little more by way of experience.

Having attended a number of cruise ship entertainment showcases lately, it seems that sexy young violinists are very much in vogue. Raven-haired, stunningly dressed and very tall, Naomi Tagg cuts quite a dash. Given lighting effects, a big band and a much larger stage, this impressive musician could either augment an existing entertainment package or perform a spot where she provides the focal point. A brilliantly played version of the Robert Miles instrumental Children closed out a great set.

Elvis was in the building next and Dean Craig was the man in the rhinestone suit on the big night in Liverpool. Elvis tributes normally come in two categories - either those who think they are Elvis, or those who know they are Elvis. Dean Craig happily fits neither category. Instead he is witty and entertaining - somewhere near the top of the tribute tree certainly and deservedly.

Closing the show was party band The Corporation who, we were told, has recently been joined by actor Scott Wright of Coronation Street fame. Wright has gathered a great gang of four musicians to back him on stage and I recognised the drummer as a resident musician from a club in the Manchester area, where I still work from time to time. Given Wright’s notoriety and sex symbol status, The Corporation has celebrity appeal and the musicianship to back it up.

Aftershow parties are always a feature of Tony West Entertainments showcases, and allowing artists to mingle with bookers gives an opportunity for potential and existing cruise ship entertainers to show off their social skills. Musicians James Devine and Kathleen Button and singer Tricia Liedl were on hand to entertain the late night throng. This is always such a nice touch from the West team.

Well done to Barbara Brown on her first time flying solo in a showcase sense. On the production side, the absence of a live band meant no play-on or play-off for the artists on view. The aforementioned sound problems were unfortunate, but the hospitality was splendid. I’m sure the many enthusiastic and vocal friends of the Brown clan will be wishing them well as they attempt to continue the Tony West stamp of excellence.

Showcase produced by Barbara Brown