The Dolly and Cher Show

The Concert Hall at QPAC was buzzing with anticipation on Tuesday night as the QPAC Chamber Choir took the stage for The Dolly and Cher Show, a glitter-sprinkled love letter to two of music’s most enduring icons. It was an evening that mixed pop sparkle with country soul, wrapped in spine-tingling harmonies and buoyed by the choir’s infectious energy. The program covered decades of hits, from the ‘60s right up to more recent releases, with each song given a fresh twist that felt respectful to the originals yet undeniably the choir’s own.

Opening with a reggae-infused ‘I Got You Babe’, the group immediately set a tone of playful reinvention, the harmonies in the middle eight blending like fine whisky and honey. This was followed by ‘The Last Thing on My Mind’, which crept in softly before blooming into a powerful wall of sound, propelled by Toby Loveland’s nimble guitar work. The choir’s knack for storytelling shone in ‘For What It’s Worth’, where sassy choreography and well-placed vocal emphasis added extra punch to the protest anthem.

One of the evening’s most affecting moments came with ‘The Light of a Clear Blue Morning’. A soloist’s sweet, almost fragile tone gave way to a gospel-flavoured chorus that radiated warmth. By contrast, ‘Dark Lady’ revelled in theatricality, its eerie vowels, dramatic lighting, and precisely timed handclaps conjuring a smoky cabaret scene. ‘Baby I’m Burning’ practically set the stage alight with movement and joy, and ‘Shame, Shame, Shame’ had a delicious funk courtesy of the alto section and Daniel Khoury’s synth solo.

Then came some heavy-hitters. ‘I Will Always Love You’ swelled from soulful intimacy to a soaring crescendo, with the altos and tenors adding depth and texture. The Burlesque ballad ‘You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me’ was stirring and resolute, and Dolly’s newer ‘Rockin’ It’ proved the choir could marry cheeky lyrics with sleek musicianship, enhanced by another Toby Loveland guitar flourish.

Familiar favourites were sprinkled throughout; ‘Islands in the Stream’ earned knowing smiles, ‘9 to 5’ had the crowd clapping and singing along, and ‘Believe’ got a disco treatment that layered voices in sparkling waves. The choir’s ‘Jolene’ was evocative and haunting, while ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ played with arrangement shifts to keep its repetitive hook fresh. The finale, ‘Strong Enough’, was a powerful and uplifting way to end the show.

Between songs, Choirmaster Timothy Sherlock shared context and anecdotes that deepened the connection to the music, giving the evening a conversational charm. What truly lifted the concert, though, was the visible joy and camaraderie onstage—those singers who threw themselves into the choreography and wore the songs’ emotions across their faces as much as in their voices drew the eye again and again. The Dolly and Cher Show was a vibrant celebration of reinvention, resilience, and the sheer fun of making music together.

Kitty Goodall

Photography by Darren Thomas