Today Thursday 6th April 2017 and another day at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff Bay, for two more performances of Rent. I honestly cannot wait to watch this again, as soon as I get home after each show, I’m almost getting ready to come back down, although a little sleep in between helps a bit.

So yesterday I began talking about the songs I love in the show. I ended at ‘Another day’ a duet between Roger and Mimi. Carrying on from that moment, the show moves on to a really beautiful piece called ‘Will I’. One of my favourite songs of all, as the cast sing individually, the harmonies blend together to provide two minutes worth of vocal perfection, which tear at the heartstrings and leave you sitting in awe at the beauty of this incredible song.

Moving on to another excellent song in ‘Santa Fe’ sung by Angel (Layton Williams) and Tom (Ryan O ‘Gorman) and a little bit of harmonising from Mark (Billy Cullen). Ryan has such an incredible voice, and together with Layton form such a great pairing. The following song is even better as Angel and Tom carry on the performance with ‘I’ll cover you’, another one of my favourite songs in this superb musical. Brilliantly sung by both of them.

After Joanne does a singing phone call to Maureen and work, we move onto a street market and ‘Christmas bells’, another great number with most of the cast, especially Tom and Angel, who have a few solo pieces among the ensemble’s voices, before we get to meet Maureen and her protest song ‘Over the moon’. I have to admit I never liked this song, until I saw it live for the first time, then it totally blew me away. Lucie Jones and Christina Modestou have been absolutely superb, how could I have ever doubted just how good this is, again it has to be the ‘live’ performance which changes everything.

As the end of act one approaches there are two more amazing songs to go. ‘La vie Boheme’ and in the middle a really beautiful piece sung by Roger (Ross Hunter) and Mimi (Philippa Stefani) called ‘I should tell you’. la vie Boheme is one of the iconic songs, where all the cast are at a cafe to celebrate Maureen’s concert. A really wild song, full of great voices and loads of musical innuendo to really ramp up the party. Before slowing down midway for I should tell you, a love song between Roger and Mimi, who again, have amazing voices. The act ends as we go back to the party for one last burst of La vie Boheme. What an ending to the first act, which has been superb, with so many wonderful voices on show throughout, I can’t stop mentioning the voices, just because they are mindblowing brilliant.

I think I will leave this blog at the end of act one, and continue with songs from act two on my next visit. One last word on today’s performances, brilliant (both shows).