Elaine Paige at Birmingham Symphony Hall – concert review

?She may have turned 63 on Saturday, but Elaine Paige still has the voice to bring a house down. And so she showed at Birmingham's Symphony Hall last night.

This was a no frills display; minimal costume changes, no props, just her and a mic.

And the result? A performance that was lively, dramatic and full of energy. Maybe too lively for her own good. Paige shows no sign of retiring but there were moments last night when you wondered how long she can continue.

It was something she seemed to recognise herself. Struggling for breath after her opening few numbers, she panted: "I breathed easier when I was 20."

Nonetheless she did not fail to impress with racks from her new album Elaine Paige and Friends along with a number of West End classics winning a standing ovation after her final song Memories which sent a shiver down the spine.

By David Lumb