Friday and Saturday —- Festival Theatre

FROM the moment Aussie rock legend Doug Parkinson, pictured, sauntered on stage and his laconic, earthy vocals filled a packed house – embellishing the opening music of Handel's Messiah – listeners knew they were in for surprises.

With the stage divided into four, the main protagonists in Mark Simeon Ferguson's Gospel-style recasting of this Christmas favourite were immediately visible and demonstrated how Ferguson has stood the work on its head.

The Adelaide Connection Jazz Choir, a rhythm section, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and a stellar solo group comprising vocalists Doug Parkinson, Paulini and Trace Canini, plus jazz trumpet virtuoso James Morrison, carved up our attention between them. It's the massive choir effects that make the running in Handel's original, but with the theatre's LARES sound system working overtime, each soloist had no trouble wowing us in the aisles with a kaleidoscope of strikingly crafted Gospel arrangements from Ferguson's fertile pen.

There were magic moments from Paulini, Morrison and friends in a wonderfully paced, salsa-inspired Rejoice Greatly. Gospel diva Canini dominated with sheer brilliance in tunes like Glory to God, supported by an on-song Adelaide Connection.

In the end, the sheer variety of styles led to something of a patchwork-quilt effect instead of Handel's original seamless canvas, but there were memorable, individual gems aplenty that should last well beyond this world premiere.

(From Rodney Smith Dec 18 2007. http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/)