The role of LV (Little Voice) was penned especially for Jane Horrocks who was starring in Cartwright’s play Road and who warmed up by doing singing impressions of Bassey, Merman and Garland. It turbocharged her career and became a part that has cast a long shadow.
Enter Christina Bianco, an American singer, actress and impressionist (aka the triple talent threat) truly required for the role to take wing. From the moment we hear Bianco sing a cappella rendition of The Man Who Got Away during one of the house’s frequent electricity outages, it’s a goosebump moment that fills Brighton’s 214 year-old Theatre Royal.
This is but the warm-up to Little Voice’s Act 2 triumphant performance at Mr Boo’s club. Anyone who has watched Christina’s YouTube channel – that would be some 123K subscribers – would have enjoyed her peerless vocal takes on the likes of Celine Dion, Adele, Cher and Idina Menzel. But it doesn’t quite prepare you for quite how staggering good she is live. Her powerful, emotional rendition of Shirley Bassey’s This Is My Life is breathtaking. As well as being vocally on a par with the Tiger Bay diva, it truly channels all of Little Voice’s pent-up, inner hopes and lets them soar. Christina Bianco is the magical spark that transforms The Rise And Fall of Little Voice into something truly special.