Glamazonia is a heartfelt 2 hour extravaganza of Rhonda Burchmore’s 40 years in the entertainment industry.
Presented by Roulette Shows
Reviewed 5 February 2021
For 40 years Rhonda Burchmore has entertained the world through song and dance. At age 2, whilst dancing in her dance school’s end of year concert, she knew from the moment she heard that first round of applause that she had to entertain for a living. And boy has she entertained us!
On Friday March 5, Rhonda Burchmore premiered her new show, Glamazonia, at the stunning Regal Theatre. This new work is a jam packed, two-hour feast of Rhonda’s phenomenal career from her humble beginnings right through to her appearance on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here. Nothing from Rhonda’s life is off limits in this show. Throughout the night Rhonda wove stories of career highs and lows amongst an array of songs, each carefully chosen to complement her stories.
Last October, Rhonda was booked to open the refurbished Regal Theatre, but due to the continued lockdowns she sadly was unable to make it over. When Rhonda finally stepped onto the stage last night, the atmosphere was electric. After 40 years of entertaining, Rhonda is showing no signs of stopping, and she certainly still knows how to work a room. Her warm personality filled the venue and her cheeky persona rang through the evening.
Still in her vocal prime, Rhonda belted out numbers in a variety of musical styles before pulling the crowd right in with tender, heartfelt ballads. Rhonda has a knack of connecting with each and every lyric. Personal favourites were the beautiful rendition of When You Wish Upon A Star/Somewhere Over The Rainbow and Everywhere You Are, which was a moving tribute to Rhonda’s late sister.
The script for this show was written by Rhonda’s good friend, Linda Nagle. Glamazonia is more than just a tribute to Rhonda’s life. Nagle captures Rhonda’s heart and passion for the industry perfectly. It’s no easy feat to pack 40 years of stories into two hours, but Nagle and Rhonda have captured it perfectly.
Not only is Glamazonia well scripted, but the musical arrangements of each piece have been uniquely arranged for Rhonda and this show. Jack Earle, Rhonda’s musical director, has arranged each piece to bring a fresh new feel, while still capturing that Rhonda magic and flair. Not only is Earle a gifted arranger, he is also a brilliant musician. Working as a tight unit, Rhonda’s band (Jake Earle on Piano and Keyboard, Patrick Schmidli on Double Bass and Electric Bass, and Kieran Rafferty on Drum Kit) are exceptional.
This autobiographical performance is a must see for any Rhonda fan. While Glamazonia is a celebration of everything Rhonda has achieved over the last 40 years, it certainly is only the beginning of the next chapter in Rhonda’s life. Visit http://rhondaburchmore.com/ for full national tour dates for Glamazonia and for bookings.
Reviewed by: Ben Stefanoff
Twitter: @theartsislife
Season Ended
Rating out of 5: 5
More News
