Cross-dressing at the Crays

NOVEMBER 19: The Croydon Male Voice Choir staged a cross-dressing act at the Church of Our Lady of the Crays last Saturday, bringing the house down with its first outing of I Feel Pretty from West Side Story.

Mike (the one on the left) and Victoria prepare for a parish meeting

The first solo part was sung by glamorous guest soprano Victoria Whittaker. Then, entering left halfway through the song, appeared choir bass Mike Sharpling, resplendent in a fetching pink outfit, with pearls and a blond wig.

Mike and Victoria duetted their way through the rest of the piece while the choir manfully sang the chorus at the same time as attempting to suppress their laughter.   

A coy Mike at rehearsals: "No pictures!"

Choir music director Roger Pinsent had wondered how the performance would be received in the staid outer suburb of St Mary Cray.  No worries!  The audience was ecstatic and gave Mike and Victoria a stander.

The performance, which closed the first half, had the effect of elevating audience and choir alike, and the choir delivered a rumbustious second half.

Congratulating both Victoria and Mike after the concert, Roger told Mike: “It was quite a sight – but you’re going to have to work on your curtsy.”