Review: Trinity College Musical Theatre Showcase

11-05-26 Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge by Jamie Griffiths

There are certain venues that naturally demand excellence. Trinity College Chapel is one of them.

With its soaring architecture, centuries of academic history and breathtaking acoustics, the chapel could easily intimidate even seasoned performers. Yet for one evening, it became the setting for a remarkable showcase of musical theatre talent from students balancing rehearsals alongside some of the most demanding academic courses in the country.
That, perhaps, was the most striking thing about the evening. That, perhaps, was the most striking thing about the evening is that these students are undertaking this performance whilst studying subjects including Law, Medicine, Psychology, English and Medieval Languages while preparing for exams most people would struggle to comprehend. And yet the standard of performance on display often felt astonishingly close to professional level.

The programme itself, led by acclaimed Broadway and West End vocal coach and singer Cameron Richardson, deserves enormous credit for identifying and nurturing that talent.

What quickly became clear was the intelligence behind the song choices themselves. Rather than relying purely on crowd-pleasing standards, the evening embraced complex and character-driven material from across the musical theatre canon, from Grey Gardens and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown to Songs for a New World and Lucky Stiff.
Jake Butler-Smith set the tone early with a hugely energetic performance of New York from Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). It was confident, charismatic and full of momentum, immediately establishing a remarkably high standard for the evening ahead.
Violette Chereau proved particularly memorable during Speaking French from Lucky Stiff, combining razor-sharp comic timing with an impressively versatile vocal range. She repeatedly brought laughter to the Chapel.
Oliver Kingston delivered one of the evening’s most emotionally affecting moments with Five and a Half Minutes by Kerrigan and Lowdermilk. Accompanied by Dr Sean Holden on bouzouki, the performance carried an emotional honesty that lingered long after the final note. It was one of those rare performances that stuck with me long after the show.
There were standout performances throughout the programme. Toby Gardner’s Moving Too Fastfrom The Last Five Years brought excellent finale and musical precision, while Amenie Groves tackled the notoriously demanding Surabaya-Santa from Songs for a New World with confidence and character. Olivia Mornin’s Another Winter in a Summer Town from Grey Gardens demonstrated beautiful control and emotional maturity, while Emma Lewis impressed with Model Behavior from Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

One of the highlights for me had to be Cameron Richardson, who provided musical accompaniment throughout, and whose performance of For Her from The Great Gatsby was nothing short of extraordinary. Already internationally respected for his vocal coaching and musical direction work, Richardson demonstrated staggering musicianship at the piano alongside powerhouse vocals. It was perhaps the evening’s clearest reminder of the level of mentorship these students are receiving.

We were also treated to a special guest appearance from celebrated musical theatre performer(and Matinee favourite) Louise Dearman, who reminded the audience precisely why she remains one of British musical theatre’s great treasures. Her beautifully nuanced performances of The Wizard and I from Wicked and Astonishing from Little Women were note-perfect, filled with warmth, precision and emotional intelligence. Rather than overshadowing the younger performers, Dearman elevated the atmosphere around them.
And then there was ten year old West End star Carla Lopez-Corpas who was a surprise addition and a total joy to watch. In a hall as vast and resonant as Trinity College Chapel, her control was astonishing. The way she used silence, vulnerability, restraint and stillness within the performance showed instincts well beyond her years. It was a commanding performance that completely held the room.

What made the evening so effective was that Richardson, Dearman and Lopez-Corpas established an exceptionally high bar, and the students consistently rose to meet it with passion, confidence and genuine theatrical instinct. I particularly loved the way that the audience applauded each performance and as the students went to the back of the hall there was a secondary rumble of applause and cheering from their friends and peers. This was a space of love and support that allowed these performers to soar.

Some of these will undoubtedly go on to impressive careers in law, medicine, academia and countless other professions. But there are also future stars among this group. This musical theatre programme deserves enormous applause, not only for showcasing talent, but for recognising that creativity and performance can thrive alongside academic excellence. In a world increasingly obsessed with specialisation, this felt like a reminder that extraordinary talent rarely fits neatly into one box.

Mark my words: there are names among this remarkable company we have not heard for the last time.