42nd Street

This show has always been a popular choice on the amateur theatre circuit but the decision to stage this dance dominated ‘show within a show’ is not for the faint- hearted. A multi-talented cast, several accomplished dancers, complex lighting design, a huge authentic 30’s wardrobe and an unbelievably large budget, may have influenced the director’s thoughtful decision to stage this production as an up to date piece. To think outside of the box is always refreshing to see but of course, it does have to work!

A mindfully, conceived set which saw the extremely successful union of projection and trucks, allowed optimum space for cast performance, all being proficiently handled by an extremely capable back stage crew. Lighting was precise and subtly merged although a crisp outlined ‘shadows’ scene would have added more definition to the overall effect of the piece rather than the blurry edges seen. Glamour came from the ‘Pretty Lady’ scenes with costumes from Triple C and the society wardrobe,  all showing  stylish design and a colourful opulence as particularly evidenced in ‘We’re in the Money’ and the outstanding ‘Dames’ routine.

The society were lucky enough to procure the multi-talented Jeremy Rawlings as M.D along with a superb eleven piece band, firm cast support would never be doubted, as would the recreation of that wonderful ‘Broadway’ sound. Fabulous brass moments and nippy underscoring, kept action bustling along with great momentum, as would be expected from this team.

The huge amount of crafted choreography certainly kept those ‘dancing feet’ moving as the dance troupe paraded their extremely evident, accomplished skills. Performance was fast paced with varied routines and a huge amount of infectious enthusiasm, seen from opening to the bows.

In the leading roles, Nigel Broome as Julian Marsh played an intense, charismatic role that held the audience at every entrance, earning him the very well deserved and heartiest applause of the evening. Heather Cook as Peggy and Matt Colson as Billy gave confident song and dance performances, leading the company through the mass of well-loved showstoppers with a large amount of nonchalance and style. Debbie Broome as Dorothy Brock played a touching scene with Peggy in the dressing room, which demonstrated the warmth in their characters and a considerable amount of vocal ability. However, although act one saw the evidence of a failing Broadway star, further convincing of a self-appreciating ‘prima donna’ with a feisty edge was necessary for the ‘idealistic’, full development of the character.

Supporting cast were united in their preparedness for the part played, showing high calibre work which was easily attuned to principle performance.                                                                             

The director gave an excellent demonstration of how to fill a stage and hold an audience with just two people, during the railway station persuasion scene. This was just one example of several exceptional staging moments seen through all aspects of the production, able to hold strong audience focus!                                                            

Whether or not the choice to bring this popular show up to date was beneficial, is debatable! For those die-hard fans of the show, it’s all about recreating the iconic look, glamour and style of the 30’s.  A great deal of the dialogue tended to sound cheesy compared to our modern, upfront speech of today! This being said, what was more than apparent as the show went from strength to strength, was the high quality of entertainment presented and the huge amount of commitment and work that had been put into this difficult show by all involved, making it yet another success for Sidmouth, as evidenced by the final enthusiastic applause given by a most responsive audience. 

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