Christmas Spectacular, Co-op Juniors at Snape Maltings Concert Hall until 21 December

Lynne Mortimer

Christmas Spectacular, Co-op Juniors at Snape Maltings Concert Hall until 21 December

AFTER this awesome production the Co-op Juniors have earned the right to call their Christmas show Truly Spectacular.

The dancing was superb, the singing marvellous, the costumes breathtaking, the settings magical and the musical arrangements quite brilliant.

Moreover, the varied programme, the rocket fuelled energy levels and the seamless changeovers made the evening a joy from beginning to end.

Special guests SFRfm presenter Nick Pandolfi and Lady Felicity (Wayne Burns) provided festive frolics with their seasonal comedy interludes.

Only the most Ebenezer of Scrooges would have failed to be moved by all those young voices singing Andrew Lloyd Webber's Pie Jesu and the stunning O Holy Night sung by Oliver Brett and Emily Fuller which, mingled with the music of Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring would have melted the hardest hearts.

But while Christmas was the theme, the high octane dance routines brought cheers from the Snape audience who were especially enthusiastic about the entire boys' corps in their leather-jacketed routine, The Boys Are Back in Town and the senior dancers in a stylish Irish dance.

The tinies got all the aahs but probably the biggest roar of approval went to the Juniors' kickline - saved for the finale - with its fabulous precision.

Julie Locke and Tim Holder were in perfect harmony in their numbers and the manifest individual and ensemble talents of the entire company combined to make this the most eloquent homage to Christmas.

Plaudits to the entire production team and the army of parents who support the Juniors.

Lynne Mortimer