Review: Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year 2025 (Sondheim Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The presence and legacy of the late, great Stephen Sondheim is truly being felt in London lately, with his final musical Here We Are and one of his rarer revived ones The Frogs , both entertaining audiences in the Capital. Every year on an ordinary Sunday in June, his presence and influence is felt even more as the annual Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year takes place, not only paying tribute to all he accomplished in his life, but continuing his work to find and support new talent - and this year the levels of talent really did have me losing my mind.

Beginning in 2007 and now in its 17th year, the Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year has grown bigger than ever with more than 330 applicants competing for one of the twelve places on stage this year, which fittingly takes place at the Sondheim Theatre. Previous finalists have included Cybthia Erivo, Taron Egerton, and Erin Doherty, and I have personally enjoyed following some of the amazing young performers I witnessed last time I attended this event in 2023.

Each of the twelve finalists performs twice, all with the single accompaniment of musical director Nigel Lilley on the piano. First, they each take on one of the legendary and often tricky musical numbers Sondheim gifted the world throughout his illustrious career. Upon Sondheim’s insistence, the contest is also a showcase for burgeoning composers and lyricists, and so each finalist picks a second number from a New UK musical, with The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York), and Lift among the shows represented this year. Both numbers together offer a contrast and an idea of what each finalist is capable of.

The talent on offer this year was particularly striking, with standouts among the twelve remarkable performers including Georgie Lagden, delivering an impeccable version of ‘The Ladies Who Lunch’ from Company that even Patti LuPone would struggle to moan at (and God knows that woman can moan at anything) and Hudson Harden-Scheel who wowed with a particular flair for comedy and acting in performances of ‘Love, I Hear’ from A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and a knack for a more emotive performance in ‘Coming To Terms’ from Then, Now & Next. Ella McLaughlin delivered a spine-tingling rendition of ‘Loving You’ from Passion, while Rigby Edwards was awarded the runner-up position for performances of ‘Old Friends/Like It Was’ from Merrily We Roll Along and ‘Kill The Freak' from Reanimator.

There could only be one winner, however, and this time the verdict was unanimous from its judges, led by Jenna Russell. I have to admit I was in complete agreement with this decision as there was only one performer I could talk about in the interval and it was this incredible person. Georgia Blessitt, from the Royal Academy Of Music, was an early performer with a brave song choice, and one that could have easily backfired. One of Sondheim’s best-known, best-loved, and my personal favourite, ‘Losing My Mind’ from Follies. The control she exhibited, the ability to hold back at times and let rip on others, was a masterclass performance and one that was as good as any I have seen on a West End stage. It became clear from that moment she was the front-runner, and while her fellow finalists all impressed, the bar she set was impossibly high for anyone to match. Her second performance of ‘Watchin’ The Door’ from Van Winkle: A Folk Musical showed how much she was capable of as a performer and undoubtedly sealed the win for her. A very deserving winner and one I have no doubt will go on to great things in musical theatre, as will many of her fellow finalists, I’m sure.

Though the afternoon was about emerging talent, we were treated to no shortage of established stars, many of whom have their own connection to the competition, all entertaining us while the judges deliberated on their impossible decision. With the show compered by Rosalie Craig, next door to the theatre where she wowed audiences as the first female lead in Company, we were also reminded of her talents with a gorgeous performance of ‘So Many People’ from Saturday Night. Last year’s winner Madeleine Morgan returned for a reprise of her winning number, ‘Moments In The Woods’ from Into The Woods, while Molly Lynch and Jade Oswald united for the premiere of an unreleased song from the sadly cancelled third season of Schmigadoon! called ‘Prove Me Wrong’. The fact the quality in performances never waivered, whether they were from established performers or emerging talent was a testament to the skill of all of the finalists at this performance, and an assurance that the future of musical theatre is in safe hands.

The Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer Of The Year (admittedly a mouthful but definitely fitting of some of his lyrics) has achieved a strong reputation in the years since its inception, with its track record and the careers of previous finalists speaking for itself. They have an uncanny knack for spotting the talent of the next generation of musical theatres and this year’s contest was no exception. The result is a wonderful afternoon that not only supports these emerging performers but celebrates Sondheim’s unrivalled legacy (even more poignant now that he has passed) and continues his mission to put a spotlight on new works. This competition embodies everything I love about musical theatre, all in one singular afternoon. Though there can only be one winner, I’d argue that every performer who graced that stage were winners in their own right, as were the audience who were treated to three hours of musical theatre heaven on what turned out to be no ordinary Sunday.

The Stephen Sondheim Society Performer Of The Year 2025 played at the Sondheim Theatre on 8th June 2025. It will return for its 18th year in 2026.

Head to sondheim.org for more information on The Stephen Sondheim Society.

Photos by Ian Bowkett