Ipswich Operatic and Dramatic Society: Sounds Familiar, Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe October 5-8

If I’m honest I always look forward to amateur productions with trepidation. Budgets are tight, rehearsal time at a premium and of course as with professional groups the amount of talent and artistic vision available can be limiting.

Not so with the Ipswich Operatic and Dramatic Society’s production of Sounds Familiar which plays to the groups considerable talents and showcases the best of theatrical song even to the extent that musical genres such as Rock and Roll I have disliked intensely I have now seen anew. Yes it was that good.

The ‘Highlights’ of the show demonstrate the breadth of ambition and talent in Sounds Familiar:- a spine tingling Argentine Tango performance of Roxanne from Moulin Rouge, Maria from Guys and Dolls, a raunchy Cell Block Tango from Chicago, a superb John Barry tribute of James Bond themes with You Only Live Twice performed far better than Nancy Sinatra could ever dream of, a tribute to the glory days of Hollywood with a dozen, or so, tap dancers, Whatever Happened To My Part from Spamalot, a Motown set and I Know Him So Well from Chess.

I say ‘Highlights’ because there were so many strong performances not listed here which I literally do not have the space to describe and I cannot even pick out one or two stars from what was truly a very strong performance all round, a few first night issues apart.

If you want reminding about how much talent we have literally next door in this part of the world or just want a night of pure put-a-smile-on-your-face entertainment see Sounds Familiar – it’s worth every penny.

Andrew Cann