This month's Unique Dorset Piers and Palaces Magazine has something of a musical theme which will delight all those planning a summer of concerts whilst taking in the breathtaking beauty of some of our delightful resorts. Nor will those wrong-footed by poor RDMA forecasting in recent weeks fail to see the merits of a reliable guide to indoor entertainment - there's only so much a dodgy plastic cape and a waterproof thigh wrap can keep out of a lady's hard-to-find but easy-to-drench crevices!
Amongst many fascinating articles, two are likely to hold especial interest: Andrea Lloyd-Webding's fascinating insight into Cromersexual!: The Musical which goes on it's first West Country tour after a very successful run [8 of the planned 200 performances took place] at the Nancy Swain Theatre, Evershot; and Tim Panny's account of the recent historic recreation of Dmitri Probonovich's 1959 Russian All-Stars ukulele concert in the Great Hall of The Municipal Entertainment Centre (now the restored Hornimint International Business, Commerce, Conference, Media and Entertainment Center), Bridport.
The 60th Anniversary of what has been dubbed both "The Concert of the Century" and "The Concert They Just Can't Forget" was marked by a re-enactment of the programme by the Thrupiece Philharmonic under charismatic Director of Music Irina Legova. Re-imagined and re-orchestrated for full symphony orchestra and chorus, the sound of Probonovich's original Ukulele All-Stars Ensemble was startlingly different and, according to some, "improved to the point of acceptability". High praise indeed and testimony to the efforts of concert devisor and Memorable Concert Re-enactment Society Chair, Reece Sykler. The programme included favourites such as "The Vulgar Boatman", "Midnight in Marnhull" and "In the Steppes of Central Ashmore", together with a pot-pourri arrangement of tunes from the ballet "Swannage Lake". All had featured in the 1959 concert and some remained recognisably the same piece. As they left (many of them startlingly early) the audience left organisers in no doubt as to what they had made of the occasion.
Much has already been written about the still controversial Cromersexual! The Musical and its hedonistic mix of rock (both musical and novelty genital-shaped), youthful boundary transgression and offshore sewage recycling. Suffice it to say that those in the front few rows might need that plastic cape and a waterproof thigh wrap after all!
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