It's showtime in Andalucía! How I found my voice on a musical theatre retreat

The Guardian

2 days ago

'Do you prefer alto or soprano?' asks Steve Moss, poised at his electric piano. My mind goes blank. I'm usually more of a pinot grigio girl, but that's not the answer the former musical director of Les Misérables is looking for. Although I struggle to carry a tune in a bucket, I'm an enthusiastic karaoke singer, a big musical theatre fan and a shameless show-off, so Sing the Greatest Showman, a residential singing retreat in Spain, is right up my street.
Founded by Zane Rambaran, a veteran concert promoter with his roots in musical theatre, Sing Eat Retreat offers a choice of breaks here throughout the year (from Sing Les Mis to Sing Mamma Mia), with 30 hours of tuition by West End professionals. (In October, Sing The Sound of Music will be held in Salzburg too, with guests recording tracks in a studio and performing in the actual movie locations. I've already packed my dirndl.)
Our base in Spain is Huerta Belinda, a gorgeous Spanish finca close to the surfing mecca of Tarifa, where we'll have five days of one-to-one and small group sessions on vocal technique, acting through song and performance preparation. The villa has eight rooms and some of the 21-strong group (mostly women in their 40s and 50s – and 60-something Ray, the only man) stays in Mesón de Sancho, a charming hotel nearby, but all of us eat together.
I'm no stranger to pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone, but staring at a musical score – all impenetrable squiggles to me – under the expectant gaze of a West End director, I think I've pushed it too far this time. As Steve, who has been musical director of Mary Poppins as well as Les Mis, takes us through the song This Is Me!, breaking it down into easy chunks, I struggle to follow the music and can't decide which octave to sing in. I end up squalling up and down the bars like an angry seagull.
I ask Steve if I'm a lost cause. 'I don't necessarily think that everyone can carry a tune, but I think everyone can improve,' he says, kindly. 'People always leave the retreats a better musician in some way, whether it's an improved singing voice or just learning to stand still when they're performing.' Well, I can definitely stand still.
All retreats induce a naturally bonding environment, but there's something rather special about singing together. Much of our group has choir or am-dram experience, while others – like me – are complete beginners, and about half have come alone. Prior to arrival, guests fill out a questionnaire about their singing ability, what they want to achieve, and a clip of them singing Happy Birthday so tutors can assess abilities and arrange groups, but all levels are welcome.
Our group includes guests from Switzerland and Spain; sisters Trish and Janet from Ireland, who sing in a choir; Emma, a teacher from Cambridge who runs musical theatre groups; and Miracle, a self-proclaimed 'nomad' who is on her fifth retreat here. One thing we all have in common is our love of musicals.
Days start with breakfast in the villa, followed by a group warm up before we splinter off for workshops. The week is run along the same lines as preparation for a West End show, with vocal coaches, musical directors and choreographers. 'In the first week of a new show we do vocal calls,' says Steve. 'We start with note bashing, recording it on our phones and making notes on the music, then the cast can go off and practise. By the Friday we do a sing through of the show, have a sit through with the orchestra, then the directors and choreographers start working their magic.'
Performance practice is led by Maria Graciano, who appeared in Miss Saigon and Wicked! and was the resident choreographer for Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Vocal coach Zev Chaplain teaches us about the physiology of singing and importance of warming up our vocal cords with lip trills, owl hoots, and ho, ho, ho's in the style of the Jolly Green Giant. One of the (many) highlights is a three-hour masterclass with Luke Bayer – who starred in Everybody's Talking About Jamie and Rent in the West End – giving us priceless advice and feedback on our performances.
Over the week, singers are picked out for solos – not me – and all of us can have a one-to-one session with a tutor.
There are plenty of breaks – it's a holiday after all – and this is where friendships blossom, with the contagious sounds of singing around the villa as people practise their scales. Any free time is spent by the pool, sunbathing in the gardens and soaking up the glorious views across the Strait of Gibraltar. There's little opportunity to venture farther afield, but most guests arrive a day or two early to explore the beaches and sand dunes of Tarifa. If you ask Zane, he may take you along when he walks Charlie, his dog.
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Eating is a big part of the retreat too, and the food is delicious: Spanish breakfasts, fresh salads and soups for lunch, roast chicken, paellas, curries in the evening, along with plenty of wine and beer. After dinner, we congregate in the lounge and chat over more wine, before someone inevitably fires up the karaoke machine.
When I arrived at Huerta Belinda, I was tempted to sit at the back and mouth the songs, such was my lack of confidence in my singing ability. But as the week progresses, I find I enjoy singing more and want to belt the tunes out with the rest of them. Thanks to Zev, I learn to breathe properly and really notice an improvement in my vocals. Part of it is because I don't want to let the rest of the group down. No one is coming into this half-heartedly; we want to put on The Greatest Show.
It isn't just me who finds her voice. Elinor from Barry, a hardcore musical theatre fan (she won the quiz), loved to sing but lost all confidence after being criticised at school. 'This week has been life-changing for me. It's given me back my voice,' she says.
The crescendo of the week is a concert on Friday night, with a real audience. During the day, our nerves start to show as we rehearse. But come 8pm, as we step on stage and sing the first 'whoahs' of The Greatest Show, they're quickly replaced with dopamine as the altos, sopranos, and Ray the tenor – and all the soloists – bring their A-game. It feels incredible.
Waiting in the wings before our final song, I look around at my new friends, hugging, laughing, congratulating each other on their performances. It's been an incredible week both musically and emotionally. And it turns out I can hold a tune, after all. While it's far (very far) from West End-worthy, it doesn't make Charlie howl, which I'm taking as a win.
The trip was provided by Sing Eat Retreat. Trips from £995, including tuition and performance practice, seven nights in a villa or hotel (five days full-board, one day half-board, including drinks)