This was my first time seeing Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus and I was drawn to the event as I have enjoyed London Gay Men’s Chorus during my time living there. I must say their performance of Singderella in Brighton did not disappoint!
Mixing a choir performance with a pantomime shouldn’t really work but if you’re Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus you can do anything. I love an event where I feel happy to go along by myself and this fun-filled event to kick off the festive season at Brighton Dome’s concert hall drew a friendly and welcoming crowd of people, many wearing sequins, who I enjoyed sharing the experience with.
Singderella by Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus at The Brighton Dome on the 2nd of December 2023
There is something so beautiful about the harmonising of male voices together and this fabulous choir performed an incredibly varied set ranging from 19th century Christmas classic O Holy Night and Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus to Abba, Bowie and music theatre. There really was something for everyone.
Particularly rousing renditions of the range of songs included Muse’s (Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma) Madness, Abba’s Super Trouper and Winter Wonderland and some stellar soloists also took to the stage.
In between, we were treated to the story of Cinders we’d never experienced before. A protagonist who had spent too much money on shoes, an ugly stepsister who wanted her sex toys cleaned, an evil stepfather rather than mother and a hilariously camp Prince Charming. Not to forget the Fairy Dragmother who won our hearts immediately. This saucy and silly storyline of Singderella had the audience howling.
While a couple of the songs had slightly sleepy starts (fair enough – the set list was 31 songs long), overall the Singerella show was colourful and sparkling. Any lower-paced moments were more than made up for by how much members of the choir were enjoying themselves. This was an evening of pure joy brightened with the Christmas costumes in the second half. The event also raised money for a great cause – The Sussex Beacon.
Keep an eye on Brighton GMC’s website and socials for upcoming gigs. New chairman Daniel Langasco told the audience they have some really exciting plans for 2024. See you there!
