Sweet Charity

Sweet Charity - is a poignant and consistently funny look at the adventures, or rather, misadventures in the ways of love that Charity Agnes Valentine encounters on her naïve, guiless journey despite just wanting to be loved.  Sweet Charity is a musical in every sense of the word. The rhythm, the sounds and the atmosphere of 60s New York have been well and truly captured by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields. The show features one of the all-time great show-stopping numbers when Charity's dance-hall colleagues sing "Hey, Big Spender!"  Molesey Musical Theatre definitely embarked on a journey of fun throughout this production.

With a show of this kind it is so easy to fall into the trap of fussy scenery for every scene.  This first-class team left a little to the imagination which meant no unnecessarily long changes.  Congratulations to the backstage crew for a smooth-running show with appropriate props throughout.  The lighting was subtle, creative and purposeful.  A great deal of thought had been put into the lighting plot to enhance the various areas of the stage.  Considering the technical problems created by flooding earlier in the day the tech crew did incredibly well.  Sound levels were good throughout.  The wardrobe team did a splendid job to dress so many characters in so many different costumes creating such an authentic appearance.  Noticeable were the well-dressed wigs which certainly enhanced the characters.

The band, conducted by Elizabeth Cooper, created a very good sound and the Rhythm of Life scene came over particularly well.  A good balance throughout.  The band was well-balanced against the voices who created a very good sound.  Some careful, thoughtful solos together with some robust chorus numbers illustrated the versatility not only of the singers but also the band.

This production of Sweet Charity was most enjoyable and very nostalgic.  From beginning to end the attention to detail was good - from the excellent acting and good interplay between a strong but well-balanced cast to the tonal quality of the music – all aspects were accurate.  The joint choreographers did an excellent job of moulding the varied cast members into a “team” - thoughtful choreography that encompassed everyone. The strong line-up of principals set this show off to a good start.  All the new principals brought a fresh approach to the characters and worked hard to maintain their show persona throughout.  Polly Ashton tackled all the well-known songs with great skill and panache. She showed both a brash and soft side to the personality of Charity Valentine.  The contrast between the character of Charity and her erstwhile beau Oscar Lindquist was very well established and maintained throughout their encounters.  To conclude the “Rhythm of Life” scene was excellent and really transported the audience to the 60s – those of them that can remember!

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