You might remember in July last year, I saw my favourite leading lady Kelli O’Hara in the flesh after years of admiring her from afar; cursing my disability and how it impacts my inability to travel abroad unless someone is able to physically lift me for the flight and beyond. I felt incredibly lucky to have met her that first time I saw her in the show in question and tried, very inarticulately to thank her for the joy she brings to my life and what seeing her meant to me.

Here we are back then, outside the Stage Door of the London Palladium. She was so warm, gracious and kind to me and it was one of my biggest theatre dreams come true.

I’d been so happy and content that I’d finally seen her in her West End debut and would treasure the experience as it was likely to be to be the only one I’d get. Turns out though, the team at Take Two Theatricals had other ideas….

This past Sunday saw Kelli make her return to London performing two solo shows at Cadogan Hall. I was at the matinee and what struck me immediately was the welcome she got even before she opened her mouth, I have never experienced an applause quite like it.

What followed was two hours of bliss in the shape of musical theatre, a sprinkling of opera, country music and songs of her own as well as a homage to her husband’s songwriting talents. Knowing her as a musical theatre star, for me it was an wonderful education into her life and influences, and showed how versatile she is as an artist.

To kick off with the musical side of things, I was once more blown away by the purity and control in her voice, as she led us through the shows that have been a part of her career such as South Pacific, The King and I and The Bridges of Madison County (I could have exploded from joy when she sang To Build A Home from the latter as it was the show that brought her into my life, and to hear of her love for the show , how it helped her express and find herself as an artist in spite of the show not being a success commercially just made me love it even more!)

What I loved best was the fact that Kelli introduced me to some songs and musicals that were new to me, most noteably So In Love from Kiss Me Kate which became a sultry jazz number, and the title number from The Light In The Piazza. I loved hearing her talk about this show: when it premiered in Seattle, she played Franca but on Broadway she played the role of Clara. She said she doesn’t sing Clara very often anymore, as she never really felt like “hers”. I learned later that the role of Fabrizio, Clara’s lover was originally played by Steven Pasquale in Seattle, before scheduling conflicts prevented him from taking the role on Broadway (the two would eventually star as Francesca and Robert in Bridges…). Just the thought of him singing about his love in Italian made me go a bit giddy, but of course I digress! I’m so grateful Kelli introduced me to this show: musically I find it really sumptuous and the lyrics from this number, though simple are really evocative!

She also introduced me to more of my favourite composers Sondheim and Rodgers and Hammerstein with What More Do I Need? and This Nearly Was Mine, respectively. She flipped traditionally male songs on their heads with a wonderfully cheeky He Loves Me (usually She) and a gorgeous rendition of one of my most favourite songs in all musical theatre: Finishing The Hat.

It was wonderful to hear Kelli talk about her roots and early life, playing a song of her own called Here Now, inspired by her grandfather who gave up school to work the farm she grew up on. Her husband Greg Naughton’s band The Sweet Remains also featured, as did the hilarious They Don’t Let You In The Opera (If You’re a Country Star). One of her two encores was the original French version of La Vie En Rose. Hearing her soprano skills in both was spine tingling!

Whatever the song and style though, what shone through was Kelli’s elegance, warmth and wit. She said being London with The King And I was”healing” for her, and she will return as long as she is wanted. Judging by the thunderous applause and numerous ovations, she’d always be most welcome.