An evening of magic and musical interludes by a group of talented young local performers.

Magicians Simon Evans and Tom Sykes performed a variety of stand-up comedy acts and magic tricks, freely improvising and engaging the audience. Apart from the occasional slip which added to the fun, they had their tricks down to an art. They showed us old gambling tricks from New York, tricks from ancient Egypt (or so we were led to believe) and many other stunts. They made effective use of music, lighting and other multimedia props, including a television showing close-ups of their pieces. Most importantly, they both demonstrated the right temperament for the stage: Simon in his professionalism, energy and knack for the one-liners, always keeping the audience interested; Tom with his natural ease and charm on stage.

It was singer Sarah Hoblyn and her players who stole the show though. Nineteen years old, Sarah has been performing jazz, folk and blues since she was fifteen, and has already performed at the Edinburgh festival. She exudes charm and charisma on stage, her warm and playful personna drawn from the songs she sings and her close identification with the rhythms and lyrics.

She opened with a powerful rendition of Let the Good Times Role, blasting away any hint of stage fright. She then demonstrated her voice's range and versatility, delivering subtle and imaginative renditions of old favourites, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, à la Eva Cassidy, Fever, Fly Me to the Moon, an emotional Cry Me River, and a cheerier Get By with a Little Help from my Friends, to the delight of her friends and fans in the audience.

Sarah was handsomely supported by Dave Brown on guitar, Mike Chilcott on bass and talented jazz pianist Alex Martin, whose spirited playing prevailed throughout the evening, ensuring it was an uplifting and warming night out - just what is needed at this time of year, as the nights are getting colder and darker. Well worth dragging yourself out for!

Stephanie Kitchen 26 September 02