Tredegar’s remarkable year of artistic ‘firsts’ was capped by this ground breaking appearance at London’s famous ’Old Vic’ Theatre - a historic auditorium that since 1818 has seen its stage spotlight fall on many of the world’s greatest actors and performers.

This however was no Shakespearean production featuring the likes of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, but the first in what is hoped to be a series of ‘Variety Nights’ aimed at celebrating the venue’s diverse artistic past as well as raising funds for its future initiatives.

Idea

The idea came from newly appointed Artistic Director, Matthew Warchus - who also directed the BAFTA Award winning film ‘Pride’ which featured Tredegar playing much of the soundtrack written by composer Chris Nightingale.

Warchus is now a committed brass band fan, and so the invitation for this star studded event - headlined by the remarkable magician Dynamo, but also featuring the likes of singer/songwriter Tim Minchin, comedians Mark Watson and Sara Pascoe and musicians The Beatbox Collective and Momento - came directly from him.

“I wanted the Old Vic to once again showcase the very best in artistic talent in all its forms,” he told said on the night. “The remarkable history of theatre has always shown that, so I couldn’t think of anyone better than Tredegar Band.”

Sold out

Not surprisingly the evening sold out within two hours (and at over £60 a seat), with Tredegar opening the second half with ‘Nightingale Dances’ (a requested musical ‘thank you’ by Warchus to his ‘Pride’ film composer) as well as their Mnozil inspired ‘Lonely Boy’ routine that saw baritone player Jack Lapthorn suspended in the air whilst playing two trombones and two cornets with his hands and feet.

Dynamo

It was a ‘trick’ that even impressed Dynamo himself. He later came up to meet the band before they returned to the stage to join Tim Minchin in a special arrangement of what will be the headline song to his new musical, ‘Groundhog Day’, which will open at the Old Vic in 2017, with a three month run already earmarked for Broadway.  

And as the packed audience gave the Australian star and the band a standing ovation, he told them that if the show was even as half as successful as the premiere of his new song, he would certainly be inviting Tredegar over to New York to join him. 

Now that would be another memorable first for the Welsh band.

Beth Gallagher