The Sing-along Glee Club

Given the title of this show, one could be forgiven for assuming that its content would be that of the popular television show Glee which recently reached our screens from across the pond. On the contrary, ‘Sing-along Glee club’ provides an insight into what a glee club is in a slightly more traditional sense. The first ‘glee club’ was formed in Harrow school in 1787, and was mainly an intimate soiree of friends getting together to sing through ‘glees’ which are English part songs. The rise in popularity of such clubs soon spread to the States, although they served as standard choruses, and did not focus on these 3 and 4 part songs from which the name stems.

Involving the audience at every stage, David Benson and his incredibly able pianist Stewart Nicholls lead the audience through songs ranging from war-time ditties to Disney ballads, interspersed with nursery rhymes, audience requests and songs from the shows. Benson and Nicholls also present a quiz, where the audience members are encouraged to guess and sing back a certain TV theme tune or ad jingle. Aimed at a slightly older audience, most of the TV series’ had been off the air for quite some time, and the advertisements were from at least a decade ago. Nevertheless, the crowd loved it, and were, as the show’s slogan instructs, ‘gieing it laldy!’

Hilariously silly, ridiculously twee and delightfully camp, ‘Sing-along Glee Club’ is a must see for anyone in need of a dose of nostalgia, or who just fancies a good old-fashioned sing-song.

The Sing-along Glee Club, David Benson and Stewart Nichols, Gilded Balloon Teviot, Sun 1 Aug – Mon 30 Aug, 1700 – 1815, 0131 662 6552