REVIEW: Choir’s show certainly lives up to the promise

St James the Great Church, in East Ham Road, was magnificently decorated for the choir’s rendition of Full of Eastern Promise.

Chris Allen plastered the stage with eastern decor, while the choir, dressed in an array of bright costumes, made a grand entrance to the strains of March of the Siamese Children from The King and I.

The first half of the concert was packed full of well­-known songs with an eastern theme, from Kalinka, From Russia with Love to Arabian Nights and Song of India.

One of the highlights came from James Rushman, the choir’s musical director.

He performed a piano rendition of The Chairman’s Waltz, from Memories of a Geisha, while being accompanied by Florence Chapman on the violin.

As well as playing the piano, versatile James also conducted the orchestra, compered the show, and joined in with the singing.

The audience were issued with song sheets and joined in lustily with China Town, On the Road to Mandalay, Far Away Places and Maharajah of Magador.

The tongue­-twister song Proper Cup of Coffee had everyone in stitches, as did the entrance of a pantomime camel who came trotting down the aisle to the tune In a Persian Market.

Congratulations to Stuart Capelin and Katharine Horwood for providing so much laughter.

Another light-hearted interlude was provided by Neil Robertson on guitar, accompanied by characters – singing Sugar and Spice – while handing out packets of fortune cookies and Turkish delight to the audience.

Top marks to the choir who were fine form throughout the show, which happened earlier this month.

Hava Negila brought the first half to a rousing close, and after the interval, the orchestra, under their leader John Grover, showed off their talents with the fast­moving Sabre Dance.

This was followed by a selection of numbers from Kismet, with a show­-stopping And This Is My Beloved which was beautifully sung by Littlehampton soprano, Lorna Moore.

The audience then picked up their flags and joined in with all the familiar promenade concert songs, including the rousing Radetsky March, Sussex by the Sea, Rule Britannia and Jerusalem, but saved their loudest voices for Land and Hope and Glory, which commanded two encores.

Proceeds from the evening will help Macmillan nurses.