Fine start to Bexhill Festival fund-raising

The concert is expected to raise around 3,000.

From spirited primary and secondary school contributions through programme items by the town's amateur companies, a well-supported De La Warr Pavilion concert also featured professionals now living in the town.

For former West End singer Tony Mansi whose dream it is to stage a summer festival for the town head-lined by the likes of jazz immortals John Dankworth and Cleo Laine, public response to Saturday's show was highly encouraging.

A receptive house gave warm encouragement to Bexhill Consortium Primary Singers.

The youngsters are aged nine to 11. They have been under the direction of Katie De Braux only a matter of weeks. They delighted with a selection from Aladdin.

Their rendering of A Whole New World had a special significance.

Concert compere Brian Storkey revealed that, modestly, Tony Mansi was concerned lest a 20 year gap since he sang professionally in West End musicals had left its mark.

Nonsense!

Together with daughter Katherine, Tony brought total professionalism to a My Fair Lady selection.

His thrilling bass voice was heard at its best in Ol' Man River, from Showboat.

High School students had many enthusiastic supporters in the audience for their excerpt from Grease.

Pavilion patrons normally see Victoria Howarth working at the box office. In one of the biggest and most pleasing surprises of an evening packed with revelations, Victoria demonstrated a stunningly beautiful and trained contralto voice.

Her rendering of the challenging Losing My Mind, from Follies, was truly memorable.

Bexhill Light Operatic and Dramatic Society members reprised their Guys And Dolls hit in novel "rehearsal" form and gave a foretaste of their next production, Anything Goes.

The wealth of local talent continued after the interval. For those who missed East Sussex School of Performing Arts' recent Pavilion success with Honk!, the story of the Ugly Duckling, the highlights they presented were truly an eye-opener.

William Robert Allenby has lived in Bexhill only 11 months. The professional baritone who has sung with the English National Opera and at Glynebourne loves the town so much he gave his time for the festival fund-raiser.

He thrilled with Music Of The Night from Phantom Of The Opera and The Impossible Dream from Man Of La Mancha.

Ladies' barber-shop group Bexhill Harmony were in good voice for San Francisco Bay, My Foolish Heart and You'll Never Walk Alone.

The Janice Blake Dance Studio brought to stylish finale an evening which saw the pavilion and local Bexhill talent at its best. In true Abba manner they earned applause with an except from Mama Mia.

Thanks to the success of Songs From The Shows and Bexhill Musical Festival sponsors the De La Warr Pavilion, Rother District Council, Earl's Bakery and the Bexhill Observer, summer in Bexhill will be a musical treat.

The July festival will include Popular Arias From Popular Operas, featuring artists appearing by kind permission of the Royal Opera, Convent Garden.

In May, Tony Mansi will be bringing old time music hall featuring artists from the Players' Theatre and the City Variety Theatre, Leeds. to the pavilion.