I'm midway through moving my ever-growing CD collection from my office to my purpose-built music room in the attic - no mean feat, given that I've been an avid collection for last 25 years. Over that time, I've built up quite a collection of (for the want of a better term) 'Songs From The Shows' collection - both those recorded in the studio, those made up of recordings from cast recordings, and those delivered live in concert.

So, had to make more room on that particular group of shelves for Speckulation's latest release Momentous Musicals - recorded live in concert at the New Wimbledon Theatre last July [2012] and featuring Pop Idol and West End favourite Gareth Gates (Joseph, Les Miserables, Legally Blonde) alongside Jonathan Ansell (G4, Whistle Down the Wind), Daniel Boys (BBC's Any Dream Will Do, Avenue Q), Emma Williams (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Love Story) and Rachael Wooding (We Will Rock You, Jersey Boys, Hairspray).

Where to start. Well, the positives are in the shape of Rachael Wooding and Daniel Boys. I've had the pleasure of seeing them both on stage on several occasions, and both are prime examples of the superb talent that we have on the UK stage at the moment. Indeed, along with the names of Julie Atherton and Samantha Banks they probably represent the cream of our talent. They deliver their numbers with confidence and feeling, and are under-used on this recording. As is Emma Williams - who seems to have been given the leftovers somewhat - although her numbers ('Hushabye Mountain' and the contrasting 'Mein Herr') are two of my highlights.

Unfortunately, the album is unbalanced in the male department. To complement the excellent Boys, we have Gareth Gates and Jonathan Ansell. Gates is very listenable in the higher registers, but just loses it totally when outside his comfort zone. 'Why God Why' is pretty well executed, as is 'Close Every Door', but doesn't really stack up with the others. Ansell, in my opinion is not suited to musical theatre at all, and whilst he can belt his way through 'Gethsemane', 'Love Changes Everything' is a number that should have been left at home - forced with little feeling. I am just thankful that these are the only numbers he was let loose on.

My big criticism of the album is that, if it had been recorded 20 years ago, it would have probably featured the same numbers (save from Wooding's excellent 'So Much Better' from Legally Blonde, and 'For Good' from Wicked... although why not give it to Wooding & Williams ?). Have we really not progressed in 20 years? Are these still the 'Momentous Musicals' that people want to hear? It is all too predictable for me. I don't need more recordings of the same old numbers - even with the relative newcomers Wooding and Boys giving them their special touch. George Dyer and his musicians certainly did them all justice, but I could have lived without 95% of them.

Which is sad. The UK Theatre, and its followers, deserves better.

5

Ian Gude