Kids in London - Voices for a better world at The O2

Last Tuesday I went to the O2 just like the parents of 5,000 other school children. Our kids had been rehearsing really hard for months and it was finally the night that we got to see the performance.

Called “Licence to thrill” the production was based on James Bond – there were a cast of actors from TheatreTrain and voice overs were provided by a collection of TV presenters and soap opera stars including Blue Peter’s Andy Akinwolere, Loui Batley from Hollyoaks, finalists from Over the Rainbow including Bronte Barbe, Dani Rayner, Emilie Fleming and Simon Lawson (Shameless, The Bill and Spooks). There was also a fabulous orchestra led by conductor Robert Hyman – dressed in a white dinner jacket with tails that swirled about him as he enthusiastically and rather energetically led the musicians and all the school children singers.

The children were all wearing coloured tee shirts – there were banks of them in all the colours of rainbow – so it helped a bit trying to identify where your child was singing. They all had props too – laptops and mobile phones for “Gadget Boy”, yellow rubber gloves for “Goldfinger”, sunglasses for “I spy for the FBI”, mirrors for “Diamonds are forever” and white handkerchiefs for “They’re coming to take me away”. And they had all been given numerous dance moves and hand actions taught by a professional dancer. I was amazed that he could get 5,000 kids to all do the same thing at the same time, I have trouble getting one child to do what they are told!

As well as the actors, the voiceover celebrities, the band and all the singers – there was also a troop of 500 dancers and many of the numbers involved spectacular acrobatics.

Act one lasted about an hour and highlights included some excellent singing and dancing to numbers such as “Bad”, “For your eyes only”, ”Kung Fu Fighting” and “The Greatest Day”. After a short interval with impossible queues for the loos, act two kicked off with “Goldfinger” and then a fabulous rendition of Queen’s “Don’t stop me now”. Another highlight was Sparks’ “This town ain’t big enough for the both of us”. Whilst some of the songs were sung by the professionals, several numbers were sung by talented school children including “Fighter” and “When loves takes over” as well as the memorable “They’re coming to take me away”.

Towards the end we were treated to the amazing spectacle of all 5,000 children shining their coloured torches – the effect was magical and truly took our breaths away. This moment has apparently been captured on YouTube. The huge amount of effort by all the performers, the children and their teachers should be congratulated – and I would like to particularly express my thanks to all those at Grey Court School in Richmond, Ham.

The event was put on to raise funds for Arts by Children, a charity that amongst its many projects will fly into The Albert Hall in London in September children from 31 countries for The World Children’s Theatre Ensemble.