Whatever people may say, Guys and Dolls is not foolproof. It can be done very badly. This is not one of those occasions…You would be silly to miss seeing their wonderful, world class performances.
As a whole experience, this was the equivalent of the local school end-of-year concert. If you were friendly and forgiving, you could have a good time. If you were expecting a professional concert of Cole Porter music, you were mostly disappointed and likely to be fleeing home at interval.
Get in at the ground level – see Lady Celeste now before she is propelled into the stratosphere. It’s always good to say “I was there when it started”. And make no mistake – Lady Celeste will take off. She is a true theatrical treat. Beautiful, sublime and dripping in style.
It’s poetic and achingly sad in some moments, stupidly silly in others. But it has a resonant and vibrant pulse which throbs louder and truer now than it did when the play first premiered.
This is the kind of production which would be a cause célèbre at Edinburgh. It’s not perfect, but it is performed and directed with passion, skill and true commitment. Go see a star in the making in a musical in the making – that’s what Fringe Festivals are for after all.
It’s like watching a censored propaganda film: you have a clear idea what to expect, but it is presented in a way which dumbfounds those expectations.
It’s wonderful seeing a little play, virtually unknown, on the main stage at Stratford. An auspicious debut for Godwin and another good sign about Gregory Doran’s stewardship of the RSC.
As Brian Epstein, Andrew Lancel turns out a stunning portrayal of a complex man who is as strong and charismatic as he is emotionally frail and weak. It’s an incredible performance that commands the stage with his battered arrogance.
