Largs Amateur Operatic Society serve up a summer treat with 'Songs from the Shows'.

Saturday 18 June was a warm, sunny day but that did not stop an afternoon audience from enjoying a varied programme of musical numbers from West End shows at Clark Memorial Church Hall, Largs. The whole performance was repeated for a packed evening audience.

The songs in the first half were as follows: One Short Day, For Good and Defying Gravity from Wicked; Going the Distance from Hercules; The Life I Never Led from Sister Act; Edelweiss from The Sound of Music; I Don't Know How to Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar; Bui Doi and Movie in My Mind from Miss Saigon; Love Changes Everything from Aspects of Love; Look at Me from The Witches of Eastwick and Rhythm of Life from Sweet Charity.

The songs in the second half were: Another Suitcase in Another Hall and You Must Love Me from Evita; Unchained Melody from Ghost, Stars and the Moon from Songs for a New World (Evening only); The Street Where You Live from My Fair Lady; Let Me Be Your Star from Smash; Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors; Blow High, Blow Low from Carousel; All That Jazz and Mr Cellophane from Chicago; All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera and finishing with an Evita selection, including New Argentina.

The Musical Director and Keyboard Player, Colin Young, led the band and company through this wonderful selection of musical hits.

The Band: David Edwards, Keyboards; Fergus Hall, Bass Guitar; Callum Edwards, Drums.

The Girls: Ailie Austin, Irene Cameron, Jennifer da Silva Neto, Sarah Dillon, Nan Fulton, Eila Handyside, Ruth Hutchinson, Leanne Knox, Vicky McGregor, Janine Millward, Laura Newton, Jacqui Park, Star Penders, Rachel Scott and Karen Wilkin

The Guys: David Cameron, Frazer MacPhail, Andy Park, Robbie Quinn, John Scott, Jamie Thomson and Ray Young

The Chorus numbers One Short Day, Rhythm of Life and New Argentina were resounding, while Edelweiss and Unchained Melody were breathtaking.

The audiences enjoyed the soloists, who each gave very moving performances: Janine Millward singing Defying Gravity and All That Jazz; Andy Park singing Go The Distance; Karen Wilkin singing The Life I Never Led, Jamie Thomson singing Bui Doi; John Scott singing Love Changes Everything and The Street Where You Live; Ruth Hutchinson singing You Must Love Me and Frazer MacPhail singing Mr Cellophane. I Don't Know How to Love Him was performed by Janine Millward at the Matinee and Star Penders in the Evening. Stars and the Moon was sung by Laura Newton in the Evening.

Ruth Hutchinson and Ailie Austin sang For Good and Let Me be Your Star; Ruth and Rachel Scott sang Movie In My Mind; Jamie Thomson and Rachel Scott sang All I Ask of You while Andy and Jacqui Park sang Suddenly Seymour. These duets produced beautiful harmonies. Rachel Scott, Karen Wilkin and Jennifer da Silva Neto gave a great performance of Look at Me.

The Girls supported Rachel Scott as she sang Another Suitcase in Another Hall and the Guys gave a humorous rendition of Blow High Blow Low. The audiences were swept along by the changing pace of the music, from foot tapping pieces to the more emotional ones.

All in all a fabulous entertainment for the audiences, who enjoyed the cabaret style setting and refreshments, including home baking.

Largs Operatic members now take a well earned summer break and will get together in September when rehearsals begin for their next production of Oklahoma. Oklahoma will be performed in Barrfields Theatre next year.