The Finale - Performing Arts Summer Showcase at the Alhambra Studio
Green Monkey Productions presented its summer showcase at the Alhambra Studio on 7th July, rounding off an exceptional year that had been crammed with diverse performances and appearances by flaunting their versatility and talent once more. Sadly this was their final turn as Bradford College students for our amazing second year National Diploma in Performing Arts students, who along with their excellent first year counterparts, ably demonstrated why so many will go on to professional careers. With constant changes of mood and pace, this was indeed a grand finale.
The evening began as Launch, the dance company formed in January by graduates and current students, left an energetic routine as their calling card. Then Rafi Raja gave an impassioned performance as a young Indian man describing his voyage of discovery aboard a number 11 bus in an extract from Ash Kotak's play Hijra. Jodie Bloomer and Emma Zabrocky performed their self choreographed piece, Hero, which was followed by singer/songwriter Tayma Lavelle unveiling another of her thoughful compostions, Don't Let Faith Fade, before Right Round, an urban dance piece choreographed and performed by Elizabeth Hall, Hollie Moore, Beth Ozwald and Danielle Rice.
Robin Bowmer delivered a rousing Shakespearian speech from Henry V, and was very convincing as the king warning the townsfolk of Harfleur of the dire consequences that would befall them if they did not surrender. Paulina Jozwiak and Kasia Magon dazzled with Down On My Knees, a duet featuring street and contemporary dance styles. Stephanie Thornton reprised a speech from Sarcophagus, playing a Russian professor of radiology recalling testing the first nuclear device. The urban dance routine Boom Boom Pow was perfomed and chorographed by Shanelle Griffin, Tayma Lavelle, Hollie Moore, Beth Ozwald and Danielle Rice, from an idea by Sara Sutton. Performance poet, Stephen Lunn, served up his observations on life while Kasia Magon moved the audience with Elegy, sung by a mother to her child, in her native Polish language.
Then three exuberant dance routines set the stage alight. Emma Hindley choreographed two fantastic contemporary dances; the first featuring all the second year students and the second all the first year cohort. In between these was a vivacious piece of kitsch, Blow Up A Go-Go, inspired by Fosse and choreographed by Julia O'Keeffe, which transported the audience to the fab and groovy world of the 1960s. Jade Smith shone as Viola another Shakespearean monologue, surprised that Lady Olivia has fallen for her in her disguise as a soldier in a scene from Twelfth Night.
Then it was time to Party Up with a vibrant piece of self-choreographed street dance with Cain Connelly, Shanelle Griffin, Paulina Jozwiak, Tayma Lavelle, Kasia Magon and Hollie Moore. Adam Mutilinski delighted sci-fi fans with his engaging interpretation, The Ninth Doctor, capturing the moment from the relaunch of Dr Who in 2005, when the timelord invites Rose Tyler to join him on his travels. However revolutionary Paris was the destination, as Elizabeth Hall's beautiful voice soared in On My Own from Les Miserables. Victoria Marshall made a demanding routine of jazz based tap seem effortless in Quick Tap Jazz.
Cain Connelly was outstanding as Skin Lad in an uncompromising monologue from Jim Cartwright's Road, where he explains his explains his desire to give everything to the experience of the tingle. The audience were helped to regain their composure after Cain's stunning portrayal, with an entertaining routine taking a twist on the Gene Kelly classic, Singing in the Rain, choreographed by Nicola Booth and dancers, Lauren Ansell, Shanelle Griffin, Elizabeth Hall, Victoria Marshall, Hollie Moore, Beth Ozwald and Danielle Rice. Jodie Bloomer's lovely rendition of Sting's classic Fields of Gold, was reminiscent of Eva Cassidy's version and incorporated a beautifully executed dance in the instrumental section.
Robin Bowmer was every inch the mad professor, as the expert regaling us with the macabre tale of a famous tree in The Wrong Tree. Kasia Magon demonstrated what an exceptional dancer she is in a self -choreographed solo, Heartbroken, and the evening ended with a lively Remix involving a variety of dance styles.
You can see all the highlights here