THE sound of guns, fireworks, show songs and military bands

will fill the Royal Citadel next week as the soldiers of 29

Commando Regiment host their biennial Music of The Night

extravaganza.

The community show returns for the ninth time on July 15-19

at the Royal Citadel and will include the usual mix of new

material as well as old favourites like excerpts from Les

Miserables, the grand finale of the 1812 Overture and Pomp and

Circumstance.

Event and Marketing Coordinator Lesley Shorrocks said: “When

people ask me what's going to be in the show, they always want

to be sure we have our stunning, rousing finale. Our audiences

love the sing- along at the end of the show and there's always

plenty of riotous flag waving.

“I know that in the national press we've seen stories

recently about some politicians thinking that flag waving is

nationalistic, but we think that's a load of rubbish!

“A huge part of Music of the Night is about the pride we

have in our talented Plymouth citizens of all ages and our

courageous soldiers of 29 Commando Regiment – and we intend to

show it in a good, old-fashioned way.”

As ever, there's plenty to enjoy in a jam-packed show before

the rousing 1812 Overture firework finale.

Director and Choreographer Angela Collins and Choir Master

Rob Young have been hard at work in rehearsals, as aside from

the huge adult cast, this year's show will feature nearly 60

children aged between eight and 12 who are currently being put

through their paces for their singing and dancing routines.

Music from the musicians of the Bands of the Royal Artillery

and Her Majesty's Royal Marines will include a medley of

popular Big Screen war film themes, as well as the Overture

from Candide and Royal Blue.

Song and dance numbers will include the children in excerpts

from Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and The

Sound of Music, and there will be big numbers for the three

hundred strong cast from Cabaret, Mamma Mia! and South

Pacific.

The choir will perform O Fortuna from Orff's Carmina Burana

and also Bernstein's Make Our Garden Grow.

Technical producer is Mark Buckingham from Stage

Electrics.

Ms Shorrocks said: “One of the showstoppers of the show is

always the 29 Commando Regiment soldiers, who this year will

perform a hilarious, daredevil sketch featuring a very well

known young wizard. We even have a Ford Anglia car to help

Harry Potter and his soldiers.”

Another star of the show is a donkey called Boomer, who is

appearing in Joseph alongside the children.

Boomer lives at the ETS Donkey Sanctuary in Ivybridge and

has already starred in a TRP production of Carmen.

Pre-show music will be on offer at the Royal Citadel from

6pm each night, featuring a variety of acts on the Hospital

Radio Plymouth Showstage and guests of 29 Commando Regiment,

the Cape Field Artillery Pipes and Drums all the way from South

Africa, will also perform each night.

There are still tickets available for every performance of

Music of the Night, with more limited availability for Friday

and Saturday nights.

Even when only seats are available in the side grandstand

blocks, the inclusion of two big screens in the show ensure

that nobody has to miss any of the action.

Tickets are £17 and £22 on Tuesday to Thursday nights and

£22 and £27 on Friday and Saturday nights, booking fees

apply.

Tickets are still available from Plymouth Pavilions Box

Office on 0845 146 1460.

From 6pm – 8pm Monday to Saturday, Pavilions staff will open

an on-site Box Office for the sale of any remaining tickets at

the Sally Port entrance to the Royal Citadel, opposite Hoe

Promenade.

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