GUYS & DOLLS at the Bridge Theatre
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“Hytnerโs production is a thrilling experience full of surprises”
Guys & Dolls has been playing at the Bridge Theatre since March 2023 in Nicholas Hytnerโs reimagined production which turns the 1950s Broadway musical into full-on immersive production. Its final cast change before its announced closure in January sees Gina Beck taking over as Sarah Brown, also joined by Michael Simkins as Arvide Abernathy. They join members of the previous cast include Owain Arthur, Timmika Ramsay and Jonathan Andrew Hume, as Nathan Detroit, Miss Adelaide and Nicely-Nicely Johnson, respectively.
If youโre not familiar with the story beyond the parody in The Simpsons, it follows Nathan Detroitโs illegal floating crap game, which he hides from financรฉe of 14 years Miss Adelaide. When Detroit places a bet with gambler Sky Masterson that he must take a woman of Detroitโs choosing to Havana, Masterson (George Ioannides) has to try and impress leader of the Save-a-Soul mission, Sarah Brown. What follows is two side-by-side relationship stories alongside visits to the Hotbox nightclub where Adelaide performs.
Hytnerโs production is a thrilling experience full of surprises. Half the audience are stood on and around Bunny Christieโs set which sees stage pieces rise and fall for scenes to be played on before the action quickly moves somewhere else. The work of the stage management team in this production is a feat in itself, as they usher audiences around the moving set pieces, bringing on street lamps, staircases, and even at one moment managing to catch the underwear thrown offstage by the Hotbox dancers.
Having seen the original cast, the newcomers have a lot to live up to, and they absolutely make this show and the roles their own. Ramsay is electric as Miss Adelaide. With expansive vocals, she tears the stage apart with โA Bushel and a Peckโ, in a number which is sexy, playful, and shows off a star performance. She brings great comedy to โAdelaideโs Lamentโ and the rapport with co-star Arthur is sharp and fiery, particularly in their second act duet โSue Meโ, which plays the line between lust and frustration to perfection.
Gina Beck follows previous leading lady roles, including Glinda in Wicked and, more recently, Maria in Chichesterโs production of The Sound of Music last year. She is very held together as Sarah Brown before letting her hair down and spinning around lamp posts in โIf I Were a Bellโ, thanks to Arlene Phillips and James Cousinโs choreography. Her voice has gorgeous, crystal-clear operatic tones. She plays against Ioannides, who also returns to the show, and their verision of โIโve Never Been in Love Beforeโ is a total delight. Likewise, Simkinsโ rendition of โMore I Cannot Wish Youโ, which he sings to Beck, has a real sense of warmth and wisdom which is very touching.
The best number of the show though is saved for Nicely-Nicely Johnson, and is perhaps the best known number โSit Down, Youโre Rockinโ the Boatโ. Quite hilariously, the number serves very little plot purpose, other than being a distraction so the General doesnโt cotton on to schemes of the crap game players. Cedric Neal received an Olivier Award nomination for originating this role, so again big boots to fill. Hume is fantastic. His Nicely-Nicely is warm, engaging and a little bit cheeky and he looks like heโs having the absolute time of his life performing this number, which in turn lets the audience have a great time as well. The crowd cheer as he encourages the orchestra to give him an encore and the whole room gets involved clapping along.
If youโre going to revive a 70-year-old musical which is, letโs be honest, rather dated in its plot, then this is the way to do it. It never tries to say โthis is nowโ but instead unapologetically transports us to a different time altogether and gives us an evening of thorough entertainment.
Guys & Dolls plays at the Bridge until January so if you havenโt yet made it along to this 5-Star production make sure that you do. Thereโs nothing else quite like it!
GUYS & DOLLS at the Bridge Theatre
Reviewed on 9th September 2024
by Joseph Dunitz
Photography by Manuel Harlanย
Previously reviewed at this venue:
GUYS & DOLLS | โ โ โ โ โ | March 2024
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