1. Title of Performance: Alfie the Musical Date: 19/11/14 Venue: Lawrence Hall Artistic Team: David Henson/Emma Evans/Matt Ramplin

This is the musical version of a famous sixties film starring Michael Caine in the lead role. It has a book and lyrics by Eden based on Bill Naughtons ground breaking novel and John Camerons memorable tunes music makes for a ballad heavy show and some very odd ensemble numbers that seemed to be a bit out of place. Moments of the music though are very reminiscent of the time period and instantly transport you back to the time. This show was directed by David Henson, with choreography by Emma Evans and musical direction from Matt Ramplin. I went to see the show on opening night and for me I felt a strong sense of uneasiness onstage. I felt that the cast had little, if no faith in the show and were possibly over rehearsed that moments fell apart. Some of the movement material was all over the place and was performed half-heartedly. The movement wasnt quite sure if it was dance or movement and at times looked as if you were watching a school show and again, you could tell several members of the cast were trying to make the audience like the show, rather than trusting that they are doing a good enough job and enough faith in the material they have been given to make us like the piece. Saying this there was not a lack of talent on stage. Some people who impressed me with their vocals and acting were: Ariane Sallis, as Gilda, Leah Godbold, as Annie and Jessica Amy Mullock as Siddie. But Craig Kenneth Smith as Lofty and Sophie Towns as Lily were the stand outs for me, especially Towns acting during the abortion sequence. The female ensemble became the Chelsea Girls whose vocals were sometimes very sharp and as a whole they could have worked on their articulation both in unison and during rare solo lines as I often missed what they were saying, especially in their very odd and at times awkward to watch, cowboy number. I felt that Kiefer Brysons sang the title role well and tried his best when it came to making the character his own, but I feel that he was always going to be compared to those who have famously played the role before him and having seen these versions of the character, it is with a heavy heart that I have to say Brysons did not live up to my expectations of the character.

2. Title of Performance: Made In Dagenham Date: 27/11/14 Venue: Adelphi TheatreArtistic Team: David Arnold/Richard Thomas/Rupert Goold/Richard Bean

In Dagenham is inspired by a true story about a group of Essex girls working in a factory who went on strike demanding equal pay. David Arnold has written some memorable and enjoyable song added to by Richard Thomas' lyrics, which are often comical but are sometimes make you cringe and much of the score has a speak-singing quality to it. The second number, which is also the title song was one of my favourites and I have been singing the tune since first hearing it at the show last week. But my favourite number was the act 1 finale Everybody Out and it is the perfect ending to the first act of a very strong, new British musical. The same cant be said for the song that opens act 2 'This Is America'. The whole number is very OTT and very confusing and I dont see how it was seen to benefit the production at all and especially in the vital slot to draw the audience back into the story after a 20 minute interval. The headline name in this show is ex Bond girl, Gemma Arterton. But it seems as though Arterton is pushed into the shadows as the other characters around her are much more watchable, and there is something about Arterton's presence on stage that doesn't seem quite right. But once she gets going, her performance is mostly strong. Arterton's lack of vocal technique shines through a couple of times; her solos are limited in range and each time one of Arterton's songs begins to build the ensemble conveniently join her on stage to help her out with the big finish. Overall, I really enjoyed this show which really surprised me. It is not a show that I would have chosen to go to if I wasnt given at free ticket by LCM. This show has made me think what other gems I could be missing in the West End by thinking that they dont appeal to me. I am already planning my trip back see this show for the second time!

Semester 1: Reflective Statement

I have really enjoyed my 1-2-1 classes this semester. At first I was a little concerned about adjusting to having a new teacher after Mary left, but I have found that working with Steven has really helped me to rediscover my love for singing. I am really liking his approach to our lessons and feel that we always cover lots in each lessons. I particularly like to see the images and diagrams of what we are talking about so that I have a greater understanding of the anatomy taking place when singing and I know how to make much greater use of it.

I am confident that I have picked 3 songs for assessment that are a true representation of where I am now in terms of my vocals. A couple of the songs are ones from last year that we didnt end up going with for assessment as I felt they needed more work on them before I present them for a formal assessment. For this reason I am glad that we have been asked to pick songs from the anthologies, as it has meant that I have been able to work on songs that I would have possibly overlooked for something more modern if the field was open to select anything.

I am continuing to notice a lot less tension within my body when I am singing, especially around my stomach and lower back. I believe that the tension in my stomach came from years of possible incorrect support, where I have been trying so hard to support the sounds that I am over using the stomach muscles, in all the wrong places. It was suggested that I take up swimming regularly to try and release this tension. By going swimming on a regular basis I have noticed a difference.

This semester I have noticed that I am titling my head sideways much less than last year. My main head issue now is that I tend to lift the chin too high and over stretch the neck. By using a mirror when rehearsing I am able to monitor this and I am able to quickly find the neutral position it should be in once I have noticed that I am doing it. I can feel the tension that this is causing down the back of my neck and this is something that I need to avoid so over the winter break and semester 2 I will ensure that I am constantly working on this and get tutors and peers to monitor my progress.

I am working on creating a much brighter sound within my singing. To this I am doing a lot of work on the soft palate as I know mine can be lazy and needs to work harder all the time. This is something that Steven and I have spoken about at length and are continuing to target this area. I have been given a series of exercises to aid with this so I will be doing these on a daily basis to really try and make a difference to the tone of my voice.