A SMALL ray of sunshine broke through the icy cold of Trowbridge last week. "As Time Goes By", a joint production between Bratton Silver Band and the Trowbridge Amateur Operatic Society, was a sunny show bringing back old memories of summer on the prom. Old tunes such as Top Hat, Everybody's Doing It and Embraceable You make up a romantic first half, with musical interludes from Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter. It was more than a rendering of crooners' favourites, however. The extensive cast performed rather than delivered, adding quirky actions and dance routines to illustrate the music. Of special note was Paul Morgan's brilliant Begin the Beguine, who then teamed up with Jan Jensen, Tina Foxon and Kath Cowdroy for a lovely version of Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree, among others. It is refreshing to have such a long and varied programme cunningly arranged into a storyline and cleverly stage-managed. The slick costume changes were matched by smooth moves from the piano, double bass and percussion to the brass band. As Time Goes By was definitely a good night out for anyone seeking a bit of nostalgia.
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