The Greatest Love of All – A Tribute

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https://www.thegreatestloveofallshow.com/

Date Reviewed: 12/04/2019

Review written by Cassie Cheeseman

More than just a concert, The Greatest Love of All offers an immersive experience for those dreaming of a return to years gone by

With a powerful voice and a skill for mimicry, Belinda Davids provided an exceptional tribute concert to the Queen of Pop in this production presented by Showtime Australia. Having toured across the continents, Sydney was fortunate that this unique show came to our shores for a second time in so many years.

The production began with a video tribute to Whitney Houston with an orchestral medley backing of some of her most loved songs. Offering a trip back in time that set the scene, the largely middle-aged audience went wild as they were returned to years gone by. Throughout the concert this energy was maintained, with cheers, clapping and sing-a-longs all de riguer in The Greatest Love of All.

With truly jaw dropping vocals, well-chosen outfits and a confident, sassy personality, Belinda Davids perfectly embodies the late Whitney Houston and creates a snapshot back in time to when Whitney Houston was at her finest. Given that this was a tribute concert, there is no doubt that the audience was completely and wholly satisfied with this mimicry. Across the evening it was clear that Belinda adores Whitney Houston and found great pleasure in singing her songs. And yet, with a powerful voice and incredible range, I couldn’t help but crave a glimmer into the stylings of the true Belinda Davids.

Belinda was supported by Giselle Bouwer on backup vocals whose movements throughout the show were incredibly pleasurable to watch. With authenticity and a natural aura, she offered a hint of grounding in a production that at times feels over-rehearsed.

The 4 backup dancers (Clasina Van Grinsven, Golda Rabe, Sandile Zulu and Sithabiso Mthethwa) performed in precise unison with one another and were filled with ‘bouncing off the walls’ energy. In comparison, Belinda Davids generally had a low energy level (and rightly so considering she was in stiletto heels!). This meant that the backup dancers were often out of sync with Belinda and could at times feel quite awkward. Possibly the greatest moment in the evening was watching the dancers during “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”. Utilising what appeared to be a latin style, they produced some absolutely spectacular aerobics that have to be seen to be believed.

The band was remarkable and didn’t miss a beat. Special mentions go to Hayden Baird who played not one, not two, but three different instruments throughout the night including the saxophone and was fortunate to enjoy a well deserved sax solo mid way through the evening.

The production value of The Greatest Love of All was exceptional, and you could be forgiven for feeling as if you were in a much larger venue than the humble State Theatre. Lighting Designer & Engineer Jack Hopper created an excellent environment utilising smoke machines, strobe lighting and spotlighting to set the tone of each individual song. A large screen was also used during the performance; however could certainly have been used more through the production.

Costumes were fantastic, especially for Belinda Davids who experienced 5 costume changes throughout the night, many of which were replicas of outfits worn by Whitney Houston herself. The costumes worn by the backup dancers were equally well chosen and included a fairly spectacular sequined outfit that felt right out of Dancing with the Stars for the rendition of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody’.

For Whitney Houston fans and non-fans alike, The Greatest Love of All is a high value production which pulls out all the stops in creating an entertaining and immersive experience. Belinda Davids and the entire cast are a true pleasure and their devotion to the production is truly intoxicating. If given the opportunity to attend The Greatest Love of All make sure to snatch it up- you won’t regret it.

Full Cast and Crew

Principal Performer/Vocalist: Belinda Davids 

Dancers: Clasina Van Grinsven, Golda Rabe, Sandile Zulu, Sithabiso Mthethwa.

Guitar: Richie Baker

Bass Guitar: Ammiel Kelber

Keys & Saxophone: Hayden Baird

Piano: Bongani Msiza

Drummer: Marnus van der Merwe

Backing Vocals: Giselle Bouwer

Director: Johnny Van Grinsven

Technical Director & Audio Engineer: Jono Van Grinsven

Lighting Designer & Engineer: Jack Hopper

Stage Manager: Ben Hopper