Guys and Dolls

Guys and Dolls has always been a popular musical, mainly thanks to the fabulous film of 1955 starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons and Vivian Blane. With so many memorable songs and a critically acclaimed revival currently playing in London, this was a good choice for this talented group.

Following their successful pairing for last year’s show, Crazy for You, the Director and Choreographer once again worked well together to create a show full of energy and impact. With wonderful costumes and an impressive set, this was a strong show visually. Scene changes were handled quickly and efficiently by the stage crew and lighting and sound were good. When the full cast came on to the stage during the overture, I felt the action could have been a bit more varied and interesting, but once the songs started coming thick and fast, this was soon forgotten.

This was an extremely well-cast production, starting with Sky Masterson. He had a very easy going and likeable manner about him and moved well in the dance numbers. These qualities were matched by a very good vocals, although he had a tendency to hold back on volume at times which meant we lost some of his words. However, this was a very satisfying and well acted portrayal of this likeable character.

Sarah Brown had just the right combination of innocence and feistiness, as well as a cracking singing voice.  I particularly enjoyed her rendition of ‘If I were a Bell’ during the scenes in Havana where she was very convincing as a slightly tipsy young lady falling in love.

Nathan Detroit was a wonderful comedy male lead, trying to duck and dive as he avoided marrying his long-time fiancée, Miss Adelaide.  He had excellent timing and a great singing voice.  Particularly remarkable in this respect was his duet with Adelaide in the second act - ‘Sue Me’.  A very impressive and enjoyable performance.

Miss Adelaide was undoubtedly the stand out performance of the show.  With fantastic characterisation and brilliant acting, this was a first-rate portrayal of this comical character.  Vocals and dancing were also superb, but it was the full commitment to the role that made this such a great performance; acting through every song like a pro.  Miss Adelaide was simply sublime from beginning to end and deserved the rapturous applause she received in the curtain call.  

Another scene stealer was Nicely-Nicely Johnson.  ‘Sit down you’re rocking the Boat’ was one of the production’s outstanding numbers and showed off Nicely’s great vocals and stage presence.  Very well done.

The Hot Box Girls provided a lovely frame to the talents of Miss Adelaide and they all moved and sung well.  Likewise, the Crapshooters were a close-knit group who relished their own individual characterisations in their scenes with Sky and Nathan Detroit. I particularly enjoyed the trio of Nicely-Nicely, Benny and Rusty Charlie, who coped brilliantly with their close harmonies and blended beautifully for their iconic number ‘Guys and Dolls’.

Other supporting principals and the Mission ensemble added some nice moments to the show and sang well as a group.

Although there were a couple of dance breaks, namely in the Havana scene and the Crap Game in the sewer, that would have benefitted from a little pruning, on the whole the dance throughout the show was extremely well done and enjoyable, with the Hot Box girls doing a particularly fine job in their numbers.

The orchestra produced a wonderful rich sound and kept the musical element of the showing moving at a good pace.

All in all, this was a hugely enjoyable production with many highlights. The principals were extremely good and there was strong direction and great vocals throughout. 

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