Thursday 23rd November 2017, another short week in work, enabling me to to attend more showings of the brilliant Tiger Bay Musical at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff Bay. Having watched this amazing show 4 times last week, I need to carry on from there with another blitz of performances in its second week, starting with another two today. This musical just gets better and better, and because I watch from different seats all over the auditorium, I manage to get to see different aspects of the show literally every time. Today I’m in The raised stalls and the upper circle, changing the whole performance from matinee to evening. I love the fact that I’m able to achieve this, as it does actually enhance each show, as you notice things you wouldn’t have noticed before from each separate vantage point.

Today I’d like to talk about the music (written by Daf James) and songs (lyrics by Michael Williams) for this show. Again I’ve been so impressed with how surprisingly good this section of the Musical has been. Loads of catchy tunes, a few masterpieces that could one day become associated with this show, and a general all round wow factor, as these songs come at you thick and fast.

John Owen Jones starts us off before we begin to see the whole cast with the opening sequence. The songs at the start are lively, catchy and really singalongable if you’ve seen it as much as I have. We meet Rowena (Vikki Bebb) with a sweet song sung along with the Shop girls and mr Locke. Leading on to Rowena singing ‘There are moments in your life’, a beautiful song, which calms down proceedings a little after a brilliant and hectic opening. The pace then speeds again until we hear the excellent John Owen Jones with his song to his lover ‘Mary’, yet another beautiful piece of music sung to perfection. Another song I totally love is ‘Harbour Master of your heart’ sung by O’Rourke, Rowena and Klondike along with members of the Ensemble.

An aptly titled song followes with the cast performing ‘let the Brains Dark Run, which moves nicely, once again to yet another beautiful and moving song Shadowlands (for me, one of the best pieces in the first act). Act one’s finale is another highly rousing piece of music sung by the whole company, bringing down the curtain for a brilliant first act. Act two tomorrow