St Philips Cathedral, Birmingham -10th December 2025
Reviewed by Emma Millward
5*****
St Philip’s Cathedral provided a breathtakingly atmospheric setting for Songs of the Season-A Celebration of Joy. The beautiful Baroque building can be found in Cathedral Square, or Pigeon Park, as locals usually refer to it. The Cathedral had been illuminated for the occasion and was looking particularly festive. The lights from the craft market outside were also shining through the intricate stained-glass windows, adding even more sparkle to proceedings.
The event was hosted and performed by the ever-charismatic James Edge. Edge is the founder of West End Best Friend Productions, which has organised this show, and he is also the theatre manager at The Old Joint Stock Theatre, which is just over the road from the Cathedral. Edge guided the audience through the show with ease, offering gentle humour and storytelling that made the show feel more intimate despite the grandeur of its setting. His opening performance of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) really captured the show’s playful energy and set the tone for the evening to come. Joining him were featured performers Caprice Lane and Jack Carr, each bringing their own distinctive style and flair to the show. Lane’s beautifully clear soprano vocals suited both the contemporary arrangements and traditional carols. Jack Carr’s shy demeanour made his amazing voice all the more surprising when he started belting out such festive classics such as ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘Jingle Bells’.
A vital creative force behind the evening was musical director Callum Thompson, whose arrangements were nothing short of spectacular. Thompson has worked on many shows I have seen at the Old Joint Stock Theatre, and his ability to add his own twist and create something new from well-known songs never fails to amaze me. Some of the songs are currently appearing in The Old Joint Stock Theatre’s Christmas show ‘Sleigh Miserables’. One such number was an epic medley combining ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ and ‘Bring Him Home’ from Les Misérables, sung with power and control by Jack Carr. Caprice Lane brought an extra bit of Christmas magic to the show with a mash-up medley of ‘When She Loved Me’ from Toy Story 2 blending seamlessly into Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’. The bittersweet nostalgia created something genuinely beautiful and fresh.
A huge highlight of the evening came from the talented students of the School of Theatre Excellence (SOTE). Their energy was infectious, and their professionalism was clear to see. Their rendition of ‘Carol of the Bells’ was exhilarating to hear in such a grand venue. They also performed the show-stopping ‘Seasons of Good’, another outstanding arrangement from Callum Thompson that blended ‘For Good’ from Wicked with ‘Seasons of Love’ from Rent. Though neither song feels particularly festive, when combined they seem very fitting for this time of year.
Songs of the Season was created with the hope that it would become a new annual tradition in Birmingham’s festive calendar, and I think all involved have achieved this goal. It is not only a concert of superb performances, but also a celebration of community, creativity and festive spirit. It reminds us how music really can bring people together at Christmas.
Songs of the Season will return for another performance on 21st December 2025.