West End voices, summer skies and a stunning setting…Stage at the Lake is something Halifax can be truly proud of.
What a fantastic way to spend my 41st birthday. I’m a huge fan of musical theatre, I love being outdoors, and there’s something rather special about a warm summer evening. Put all three together and you have the recipe for a pretty epic night out.
Despite living fairly locally, I’d never actually ventured over to Shibden Hall in Halifax before, and I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction. The setting for Stage at the Lake is absolutely beautiful. Nestled beside the water and sheltered by trees, it feels wonderfully secluded; you’d never imagine you were so close to the heart of Halifax.
Walking into a field dotted with deckchairs immediately sets the tone for the evening. There’s a well-stocked bar and a good selection of food vendors, including Greek food and coffee, while the toilets were, perhaps unexpectedly for an outdoor event, plentiful and clean. Everything felt incredibly well organised, creating a calm, relaxed atmosphere from the moment we arrived.
Of course, the real highlight was the music. Accompanied by a stunning live orchestra, the four soloists delivered performances that genuinely wouldn’t have felt out of place on a West End stage. Joel Montague was particularly hilarious, performing You’ll Be Back from Hamilton, complete with wonderfully over-the-top facial expressions that were captured perfectly on the large screens. His duet with Emma Williams, Anything You Can Do from Annie Get Your Gun, was another comic highlight, while also giving the pair the chance to show off some seriously impressive vocal gymnastics.
Laura Pick brought the first half to a spectacular close with the ultimate musical-theatre crowd-pleaser, Defying Gravity. It was a huge performance and exactly the kind of number you want ringing out across an outdoor venue on a summer evening. Vinny Coyle, meanwhile, deserves particular credit for stepping in at the last minute and displaying complete professionalism; you certainly wouldn’t have known he was a late addition to the line-up.
Holding everything together was compère Neil Hurst, well known locally for his leading roles in Halifax’s annual pantomime. His local knowledge and natural comedy made him a perfect fit for the event, but he also proved he could more than hold his own musically. His rendition of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You from Jersey Boys soon had the entire audience singing along with enthusiastic encouragement from Neil himself.
Another lovely touch was the inclusion of young performers from Bradford’s Stage 84, the drama school that Emma Williams herself attended. They more than earned their place on the stage, bringing fantastic energy, character and facial expression to medleys from shows including Matilda and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
There was a real variety of musical theatre on offer throughout the evening, with songs from Wicked, West Side Story, Waitress, Oklahoma!, Les Misérables and The Greatest Showman, amongst many others. And, for those of us who struggle to resist joining in, there were plenty of opportunities for a good audience singalong, too.
Accessibility had clearly been considered as part of the event rather than added as an afterthought. The inclusion of a BSL interpreter was brilliant, while the large screens meant that even those sitting further back could see the performers clearly. There is also VIP seating and on-site parking available for those wanting to splash out, while everyone else can make use of the free park-and-ride service organised by the event.
I’ve attended plenty of outdoor concerts over the years, but this was easily one of the most organised and relaxed I’ve experienced. Perhaps it was the beautiful location, perhaps it was the glorious weather, but there was just something wonderfully summery about the whole evening: deckchairs scattered across the grass, music drifting across the lake and an audience simply enjoying being there.
The music itself was far better than I had expected. This wasn’t simply a pleasant outdoor singalong; these were genuinely West End-standard performances backed by a superb live orchestra.
If the rest of the weekend lives up to its opening night, my advice is simple: book a ticket, dig out your deckchairs and head over to Halifax. You can even bring your own food and soft drinks, as well as your chairs, and there are plenty of activities and events taking place during the daytime for children, too, making it easy to turn a visit into a full family day out.
The main evening events still to come are: Comedy Night on Friday, Proms Night on Saturday (which I’m genuinely gutted to be missing because I’m on holiday) and a Brass Band Evening on Sunday.
Stage at the Lake feels like exactly the kind of event Halifax should be proud of. I very much hope this is the beginning of something that becomes an annual fixture in the summer calendar. After all, I already know where I’d happily spend my 42nd birthday.
Outstanding work Shibden Hall….Outstanding.
Images provided by Amino PR.
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