I have been meaning to see this (and a few other shows) since it's 2015 opening and after having a very deeply personal issues now resolved over the past year, I'm back to have a fresh start by returning to university on a new course, and yes, see more shows. And by the way, I saw Funny Girl a couple of weeks ago and I will review it! And I have to admit, going into this I had no clue what the story was about and was only familiar with the songs Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat and Luck Be A Lady, the former because of Glee (I know, shoot me!) and the latter because of Frank Sinatra's famous cover.
This musical takes place in the hustle and bustle of Depression-era New York City with the underground world of gamblers. It specifically follows the stories of gambler Sky Masterson (Oliver Tompsett), con-man Nathan Detroit (Simon Lipkin) and the loves of their lives, mission worker Sarah Brown (Siubhan Harrison) & headliner of the Hot Box Club & the latter's fiance of 14 years, Adelaide (Rebel Wilson). Most of the musical focuses on Nathan looking for a safe venue for his latest crap game while Adelaide wants him to change his ways & making a bet with Sky to go on a date to Havana, Cuba with Sarah. The simplest description I can give this story is a romantic comedy. Filled with wit & charm, it really stands out from other musicals thanks to the timeless feel of the setting & themes. Both intertwining plots manage to be interesting, fun & sweet yet thanks to the humor in the writing, the execution & managing to add in realistic development from the characters in a well paced manner. With a very fun tone, it actually felt like a breath of fresh air to see a musical without a lot of tragic elements integrated into the plot despite the Great Depression being the foundation & the central theme of gambling. I
All the actors both principal and supporting in this suit their parts well and manage to show a balance of comedy, depth & (most importantly) charisma. Oliver Tompsett (who I had seen 5 years ago as Fiyero in Wicked) suits the role of the charmingly slick Sky, with his soulful rendition of Luck Be a Lady being a highlight. His chemistry with Siubhan Harrison's equally charming yet naive religious crusader Sarah helped make their romance engaging throughout, being very sweet yet funny to watch (along with Sarah letting her hair down in Havana after innocently downing one too many dulce de leches). From the supporting cast, Gavin Spokes' Nicely Nicely & Jason Pennycooke's Benny both bring a lot of fun to their characters, especially the formers in his incredible rendition of Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat. Simon Lipkin's Nathan Detroit as the mischievous rogue was also a delight to watch and many of his scenes with Rebel Wilson's Adelaide had me (and the rest of the audience) laughing out of our seats while still having chemistry thanks to their opposites attract-style relationship. And speaking of the elephant in the room (NOT a jab towards her at all, it was the only fitting metaphor to describe the obvious topic of discussion) which I must not forget...
Regardless of the blatantly obvious stunt casting, I felt that Rebel did a great job as Adelaide. Despite her voice not really being trained for musical theatre, the times where it felt like she was in a completely different show & being a bit difficult to picture her as the Adelaide we know & love, her striking stage presence and comedic antics all the more make up for it as she clearly has a ball every scene she's in. With ad-libbing & flaunting her galore, she knows how to make the role her own It really was a treat to see her in action during her 8 week run given her huge popularity with her breakthrough performance in the Pitch Perfect films (even if I'm more familiar with her work in other films like Bridesmaids & How To Be Single). She really performs with such gusto that it's amazing how she's actually has the commitment to do this 8 times a week rather than have an alternative!
Speaking of the musical numbers, every single one is memorable from the execution, the jaunty melodies/lyrics or the actors' interpretations. By the same man who wrote the music for How To Succeed in Business Without Actually Trying & composed the Academy Award nominated classic Baby It's Cold Outside & with a very big band feel to them, they manage to be a balance of emotional, fun & of course, romantic. Of course, the funnest songs out of all of them has to be the 11 o'clock number Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat (with Gavin Spokes' Nicely Nicely having an incredible voice & presence), the titular song and If I Were a Bell. It just made me want to get out of my seat & dance along with them it was that fun! As mentioned before, Tompsett's soulful Luck Be a Lady is also a very memorable along with his & Harrison's sweet duet of I've Never Been in Love Before. Lipkin's rendition of Sue Me, And while Rebel for the most part is comedic in her version of Adelaide, she still manages to give the character depth when singing both Adelaide's Lament & its reprise and Sue Me.
I must not forget to mention the spectacular set and costume designs courtesy of production designer Peter McKintosh. They manage to capture the glitz & glam of the Depression-era New York with the general background being advertisements for various 30s products & lights which dazzle the stage from the opening number. Others from the glitz of the Hot Box, murky sewers and especially the tropical look of the Havana bar Sarah & Sky go to on their date are all also very well crafted & fit perfectly for the show. Along with that, the choreography by Carlos Acosta & Andrew Wright is masterfully executed from the cast & really fits well with the music and setting, sweeping you away into the world of the characters. Both of these elements help the show in its favour being both new and familiar thanks to the setting and it really grabs your attention with how awe-inspiring they are to watch.
Even with such a massive star under its belt, I really enjoyed Guys & Dolls from beginning to end. The production values are impeccable, the choreography is, all the actors bring a blend of charisma and humour and the songs are still has upbeat and timeless as they are today. All of this brings the beloved musical & Frank Loesser's timeless music to life for a new generation & I really recommend you go and see this. And for those who just want to see it for Rebel Wilson, keep in mind that she's in this until August 21st!
Rating: *****
And yes, I went to the stage door afterwards & believe it or not, I actually got to meet Rebel herself! Given how well known she is in the public eye now, she's probably the most famous person I've met face to face! And yes, she's a really lovely person
I have been meaning to see this (and a few other shows) since it's 2015 opening and after having a very deeply personal issues now resolved over the past year, I'm back to have a fresh start by returning to university on a new course, and yes, see more shows. And by the way, I saw Funny Girl a couple of weeks ago and I will review it! And I have to admit, going into this I had no clue what the story was about and was only familiar with the songs Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat and Luck Be A Lady, the former because of Glee (I know, shoot me!) and the latter because of Frank Sinatra's famous cover.
