Review: All Who Wander an Edinburgh University Footlights performance

“All Who Wander” finished with a standing ovation from the crowd, and, somehow, the audience grew in number after the interval.

I was there thanks to an invitation to review. I nearly didn’t make it, but I’m glad I did. While there are no more nights left for “All Who Wander,” I’m absolutely going to pay attention to what Edinburgh University Footlights does next.

Edinburgh University’s show choir used the Magnussion Centre, a comfortable auditorium in Stockbridge’s Edinburgh Academy, for this event. 

There’s a trap. As the show started, with the young performers sitting on the school stage, with school ties around their necks and starting with a medley from Matilda I thought for a second I was going to watch some Sixth Form production. 

Far from it! It’s just that these talented singers are vibrant youngsters; they’re students at uni, not kids. Within moments I was out of the trap, the quality of the singing, of the dancing, of the live music and even the lighting is professional and polished. 

Incorrectly, I thought we’d have a few lead singers to carry the heavy load and a backing choir. No, a few songs in, and the assumption was squashed, too. As “All Who Wander” continues, different people step forward to impress and charm. 

All Who Wander – The Songs

“All Who Wander” is a series of songs taken from different musicals which, together, explore the power of journeys. 

The show kicked off with that medley of Naughty, My House and Quiet led, in order, by Abby Harkness, Meabh Downey and Martha Keegan.

Then Go the Distance with Mimi Boettcher, Ride by Isabella Mandich and Two by Two sung by Ewan Robertson in the lead. 

We then moved on to Seize the Day performed by Brandon Yim, Corner of the Sky by Maya Bayliss and then Found/Tonight from the whole choir.

Next up, Max Middleton took the whole of P.T. Barnum to sing Come Alive, Marie Keinde performed Almost There and Hannah Shaw put voice to Lost in the Wilderness.

Wait For Me had the talents of Nina Birbeck, Ewan Roberston, Max Middleton, Abby Harkness, Isabella Mandich and Giulia Pesciarelli.

Brandon Yim returned to Jet Set, Aaron Venter sung Neverland and then we had Giulia Pesciarelli and Marie Keinde for Take Me or Leave Me.

For Good was sung by Ellie Jackson and Scarlett Lloyd-Dickinson, Into the Woods was another medley and for it we had Noah Brooks, Abby Harkness, Scarlett Lloyd-Dickinson and Brandon Yim.

Nina Birbeck and Noah Brooks gave us Stop the World, Ewan Robertson, Bring Him Home and then Giulia Pesciarelli and Max Middleton for If I Had My Time Again.

So Big/So Small was sung by Meabh Downey, the whole choir then tackled both What I Know Now and For Your Light to Shine and with Abbey Harkness and Martha Keegan singing You Matter To Me in between. Scarlett Lloyd-Dickinson finished off with I See Stars.

Why list all the songs here? I wanted to show the value for money and just how often the singers changed it about it. It was a vibrant show. 

Any favourites? I was struck by and the audience reacted well to Ewan Robertson’s powerful Bring Him Home. It was all killer, no filler, though. And it was more than singing; this young troupe danced, slid and moved across the stage with grace.

Where is the Magnussion Centre?

There was some signage up, and perhaps all that hosts Edinburgh Academy would allow, but if I hadn’t been to the Magnussion Centre before, I might not have found the show.

Walk into the impressive grounds of Edinburgh Academy, and as you’re facing the main building, with your back to Henderson Row, walk to the left. You’ll see a smaller building on the left, but you’re not going there. Instead, keep walking until you’re in a smaller square, and you can see a corner door in the main building in the back right. 

If you’re close enough, you’ll see the name ‘Magnussion Centre’ in letters on the side of the building. 

Overall

I was thoroughly impressed.

“All Who Wander” was one of those events that switched in my calendar from being something to look forward to transforming, through no fault of its own, into a logistical challenge. I’m glad the day came up trumps and I got to go because it was just what I needed – a bit of musical escapism.

If in five years time I see any one of these talented performers again, on a bigger stage, perhaps even in a show, I won’t be surprised.