Guys and Dolls

Really looking forward to ‘Guys and Dolls’ which I am reviewing for Local Secrets tonight. For me it is the perfect musical – a tight story, witty and memorable characters…. The songs are perfectly crafted to serve the plot. Talking of songs there isn’t a weak one in the show. Both lyrics and music are by that Broadway genius Frank Loesser (whose centenary is this year).

Loesser’s little known show MOST HAPPY FELLA is in my opinion a masterpiece of musical theatre. Maybe one day someone will have the courage to do it – it is though operatic in scope with nearly 30 songs (again all great).

Below is an extract from my review which can be found in full here.

Guys and Dolls is a classic, perhaps THE classic of Broadway musicals. It’s got the lot – wonderful songs, very funny script and an engaging story set in a 1940s New York of lowlife gamblers and high rolling evangelicals – a delicious mixture.

…Was it worth the gamble? Was luck a lady tonight? The answer is a resounding and unequivocal ‘yes’.I have seen about a dozen productions of this great show in my lifetime and this was without doubt the best. The production directed by Nick Bagnall has everything you could want from this masterpiece of musical theatre.

The casting is spot on. I have never seen a better Nathan Detroit – the lovable rogue, organiser of illegal crap games who spends his life fixing hideouts for mobster gamblers. Fergal McElherron’s Nathan was the perfect foil for Jenni Maitland’s left-in-the-lurch fiancee Miss Adelaide.

…

There was an electrifying performance from Chris Howell as Nathan’s lookout, Nicely-Nicely Johnson. His rendition of ‘Sit down you’re rocking the boat’ threatened to lift the roof of the Arts Theatre right off.

…

It is a joy from beginning to end. Was it a gamble? No, the Arts Theatre has produced a classic. Will you love it? That’s a one-way bet.