Divas: From Stage to Screen Review

12 Aug

Written by Jacqueline for Theatre and Tonic

Content warnings: haze, strobe lighting, strong language

Following on from its five star run at the 2022 and 2023 Edinburgh Fringes, Divas: From Stage to Screen is back once again. I’m a big fan of BBD Productions and have seen many of their performances, including ‘Divas: Live at Le Monde’ which I reviewed earlier this year (https://theatreandtonic.co.uk/blog/divas-live-at-le-monde-review). With this in mind, I was keen to see if this summer’s Fringe offering would keep things fresh and bring something new to the production.

Divas: From Stage to Screen features a six-person ensemble, with four performers at each show. At the performance I attended the Divas onstage were Dannielle Logan, Sarah Innes, Jennifer Kinnear and Halla Eaglesham. The performers are accompanied by a four piece band consisting of Rachel Blaquiere on keys, Millie Donnachie on guitar, Heather McRae & Emily McDougall on bass and Emily Mowat & Rachel Nicolson on drums.

Throughout this hour-long production, audiences are treated to a delightfully varied setlist spanning numerous decades, genres and vocal styles. Some of my favourite numbers from previous iterations of Divas made the cut for this summer’s setlist, as well as several new additions. The whole team have carefully curated the show to ensure that it is equally enjoyable for first timers as it is for repeat attendees. The show cleverly uses mashups and medleys to great effect to pack even more into an already excellent setlist, ensuring that everybody has numerous opportunities to shine. The mashup of “Once Upon a December” and “Journey to the Past” from 1997’s Academy Award nominated movie Anastasia was a wonderful new addition and one that I hope stays on the setlist for a while.

Personally, my highlights of the show were Dannielle Logan and Sarah Innes’ beautiful rendition of the iconic Streisand and Garland number “Happy Days Are Here Again/ Get Happy”; Halla Eaglesham’s intimate and moving performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”; and Jennifer Kinnear’s powerful “Before He Cheats” which I was delighted to see had made it onto the setlist this time around, and earned the biggest applause of the night. Though the solos were incredible, the group numbers allowed for stunning harmonies and joyful camaraderie. “Rolling in the Unwritten” (a mashup of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten”) was a personal favourite of mine, though there were no weak aspects of the setlist. The variety of songs and the quick pace kept the momentum high from start to finish.

This summer, Divas also has benefitted from an earlier performance time (20:20-21:20) this Fringe, making the show even more accessible than in previous years. I cannot recommend this production highly enough, and I hope that it continues to have a presence at the Fringe and beyond for many years to come. Divas has very much maintained its five star rating I’ve awarded it previously.

Divas: From Stage to Screen runs until August 25th at Paradise in Augustines