A NEW production coming to Frome Memorial Theatre celebrates one of music’s most unlikely yet successful partnerships.

Bennett & Gaga: The Duets Songbook on Saturday April 18, coincides with the centennial year of Tony Bennett’s birth.

The show draws on albums recorded by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga which helped reintroduce classic swing to a new generation of listeners.

Developed by singers Andrew Bourn and Hannah White, audiences can expect classic songs by Cole Porter and Irving Berlin delivered with old-Hollywood glamour and a contemporary edge.

“This music carries so much joy,” says Hannah. “We want audiences to forget the world for a couple of hours and leave the theatre feeling uplifted.”

Rather than a traditional jazz concert, the production is staged as a hybrid of theatre and live music, with storytelling, dynamics and visual atmosphere, backed by The Dawkes All Stars band.

Andrew, who reached the finals of Britain’s Got Talent with vocal group Jack Pack says the Bennett–Gaga collaboration was a natural source of inspiration.

“Those albums showed that this music isn’t stuck in the past. It can feel modern, exciting and relevant, whether you’re a lifelong jazz fan or hearing these songs for the first time,” he said.

White’s career has taken her across the world, performing with artists including George Benson and Ringo Starr, yet for both performers, stepping into the role of producers has been a new challenge.

“We’ve poured everything into this ourselves,” she explained. “It’s a labour of love. We’re doing it because we believe in the power of this music to connect people.”

Frome’s reputation as a creative hub made it an obvious choice, says Hannah. “There’s a real appetite here for live music and theatre. It feels like the right place to celebrate an art form that deserves to be kept alive.”

Tickets are available from the theatre website.