So here is the second part of my series of “Moments of Sunshine” to hopefully help lighten up our often dark and troubled world.
My brother Jack, whose lovely wife Eileen happens to be 90 years old this weekend- congratulations to her and looking forward to travelling to Hucknall this weekend for a small family reunion – sent me today’s featured video.
At first, I was convinced it was a scam – a set up with two West End singers taking part – one dressed up as a busker to create the “illusion.” I had seen similar “spoofs” one in which Christiano Ronaldo dresses up as a homeless person to take on people at football in the street.
However what Jack sent me was authentic and here is the story:
Steve Barry was singing songs from the musicals in London’s Covent Garden when he was approached by a woman to sing a duet.
The song she wanted to perform was ‘All I Ask Of You’ from Phantom of the Opera. Weary from randomers looking to perform with him, Steve was inclined to say no, when she suddenly volunteered some surprising information.
Steve explains ‘Busking in Covent Garden one evening, when a lady (who was pretty easy on the eye to be fair) in the audience asked me to sing ‘All I Ask of You’.
‘I had just sung a number from Phantom of the Opera.
‘With my most withering, scathing tone I informed her I can’t be doing two Phantom songs in a row (like duh). She replied with ‘if you do I’ll sing it with you’.’
‘Given my previous duet earlier that set was an enforced rendition of Flower of Scotland with a drunken Scotsman in a kilt I set my gaze to highly sceptical.
‘Obviously, I asked if she was any good – at which stage she casually dropped in ‘I’m currently Christine in Phantom at her Majesty’s Theatre.”
‘When I removed my foot from my mouth…. we did this…’
His singing partner turned out to be Celinde Schoenmaker who made her West End debut in 2013 in the role of ‘Fantine’ in ‘Les Misérables’ at the Queen’s Theatre in London.
She won the role of ‘Christine’ in Phantom of the Opera in September 2015.
Quote of the week
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