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It's a Swing Thing IT was with some trepidation that I walked into the auditorium for the opening night of Trowbridge Amateur Operatic Society's latest show, It's a Swing Thing. Now, I'm not averse to a little bit of Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin every now and then, but a whole evening dedicated to swing music? We were promised a journey through the history of swing from the early 30s through to the better known rat-pack swing of the 50s. The opening number comprised the full company singing an enthusiastic medley of swing classics including In the Mood, supported by the excellent Mike Lock Band, which set the tone for the evening. The first half continued apace and included a mixture of familiar tunes such as Let's Face the Music and Dance and Come Fly with Me. These were interspersed with a number of instrumental pieces during which the audience was invited to make use of the dance floor. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the bar was open throughout the performance, last night's audience was somewhat reticent. There were a number of stand-out performances, in particular Lisa Hayes' rendition of Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man from the musical Showboat, Sean Andrews' version of Come Fly with Me and, later on in the programme, Teresa Bray, Tina Foxon and Viv Luckett's performance of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy. We'll Meet Again provided a rousing climax to this enjoyable evening. The informal atmosphere, with the audience seated around tables, added to the jazz club feel. I am looking forward to the next TAOS show, Titanic. Richard Williams
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