Arriving at The Ruby Lounge for this Fringe festival show by the One Night Stands, it is great to see the place already buzzing with many audience members having their pre-show dinner. I settle down on a very comfy sofa with a glass of wine and the best sticky date pudding I’ve had in a long time, ready to enjoy the next hour’s entertainment.

The excellent trio of Ruth Armishaw (keyboard), Scott Maynard (double bass and bass) and Jeremy Hantler (drums) sets a relaxed scene for The One Night Stands – Jacquie Fee, Emmy Walker and Lenare Armstrong – to enter with girlish anticipation as they prepare for their night out.

We are welcomed to get ‘In the Mood’ for our ‘one night stand’ with the One Night Stands during this nostalgic close harmony Andrew Sisters-style song.

It takes a little time for the voices to settle but they soon hit their stride with the next delightful original song ‘A to B’, written by director Paul Jenden and musical director/arranger Ruth Armishaw, playing on the words “a quick route/root (slang) from A to B”. Hilarious and strongly sung.

Continuing ‘Downtown’ in gorgeous sequined dresses, the band helps to ‘Get the party started’ (Pink) while the girls dance ‘Slow’ (Kylie Minogue) and wonder ‘Will you still love me tomorrow?’ [The Shirelles, among others].

The show promo info told us, “They chronicle steamy nights on the prowl with no regrets and no responsibility,” but there is definitely more depth shown in the selection of songs performed for us tonight and the well crafted programme segues vividly between the different emotions – especially with arrangements of songs like Bjork’s ‘Venus as a Boy’, beautifully sung by Lenare Armstrong with a delicious laid back dub feel; Duffy’s ‘Mercy’ is belted out by Jacquie Fee and cleverly intertwined with the Beatles’ ‘Yeah yeah yeah’ refrain from the previous song, ‘She loves you’.

With a deranged rendition of ‘Toxic’ (Britany Spears) the regrets begin to kick in, as Jacquie sings ‘Tears dry on their own’ with as much passion as Amy Winehouse herself. Stunning.

The Ruby Lounge on Bond Street is making its name as a quality music venue and from what I hear this night – the sound balance where I am sitting is perfect – I will be checking out the programme regularly. It’s a shame that the smoke from some of the patrons smoking on the balcony drifts into the main area inside: something for management to look at, to make a fantastic venue just that much more comfortable for all.

I personally would have enjoyed more of the unison choreographed movement on the older numbers. Despite a few shaky harmonies from time to time, however, In the Mood is an entertaining night out and I applaud The One Night Stands for getting up there to showcase themselves with the expert assistance from mentors such as Paul Jenden, and introduce the audience to a wider repertoire of styles and music. Congratulations to all involved.
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