Review of The African Choir of Norfolk: Audience couldn’t help but be drawn into buoyant atmosphere of music

The African Choir of Norfolk - Norfolk Playhouse

This 10-strong choir was formed five years ago by Zimbabwe-born singer/actress/instrumentalist Anna Mudeka, who is now based in Breckland.

All the women are from various parts of Africa including Ghana, Congo, Nigeria and Kenya and the aim is to celebrate their heritage and culture through music.

The songs have been passed down orally and deal with topics as diverse as parental love, domestic abuse, resilience and hope, and a couple were instantly recognisable - Jambo and Tora Tora - with a new one, Hatami Lele, performed for the first time.

Their performance, accompanied by traditional instruments including a Mbira, a Zimbabwean thumb piano, was untiring - they don’t just sing but also dance, really feeling the unstoppable rhythm, and the audience can't help but be drawn into the buoyant atmosphere.

Their costumes, designed by one of the choir, are outstanding, as full of colour and vibrancy as the performance, and Obase Aboli from Cameroon was a special guest.

You can next see the choir at the John Innes Centre in Norwich on December 14. Visit www.annamudeka.co.uk

Review by Sarah Hardy