Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Magic, comedy and burlesque
Speaking of great venues, there are few to rival Motherwell Theatre.
And last weekend I was lucky enough to witness the perfect marriage between performers and venue at Spirit Aid’s annual star-studded Showbiz Gala.
The hostess was Radio Clyde DJ Gina McKie, who was joined on stage by some of the best in Scottish live entertainment – I was in the audience – and featured bands, choirs, comedians and even a burlesques dancer called Miss Hell’s Belle. Her act gave me a few ideas for my own performances – I wonder how many ostriches would need plucked to provide me with suitable coverage?
Moving swiftly on, Coatbridge choir Soundsational set the bar very high with an opening number that was full of gusto, passion and some beautiful melodies, and ably set the scene for the evening.
The rafters were rattled as folk rockers The Wakes delivered a high-energy set that had many in the audience on their feet.
This was followed by comedy from Phil Differ and a solo acoustic set by someone by the name of Marina Rolink – talk about variety in full flow.
And there was magic in the air, as well as comedy, as illusionist The Professor levitated and comically amputated an audience member’s hand, before magically reuniting it with its rightful owner.
And the magic didn’t end there as JJ Gilmour produced a stunning finale with a powerhouse performance that received a standing ovation at its completion.
This was a fitting end to a night of great Scottish entertainment, and the beneficiaries of the evening were local children that Spirit Aid support as part of its work in our communities.
A massive thank you to all the acts who performed for free, and all those kind folk who bought tickets.