Get Out More ..............................Theatre Review

42nd STREET (Alex Theatre, to October 27)

27-10-2007

Starring Paul Nicholas and directed by co-author Mark Bramble this multi-award winning show has been wowing the crowds over the past week at the Alex. Terry Wills was suitably impressed.

August 1984. London's legendary Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The opening night of the Broadway smash hit musical "42nd Street". The production receiving outstanding reviews, before moving on to scoop every reward on offer for 'Best Musical', subsequently running for four and a half years.

Since then it's been a world wide success featuring a variety of well known artists and talented hopefuls who thrive on the possibility that they too could find 42nd Street the next rung on the ladder leading to the summit.

Finally, it arrived at Birmingham's Alexandra Theatre for an all too short visit.

The Alex is far less intimate venue than the cavernous Drury Lane Theatre meaning the smaller stage has to be adapted for certain set changes. But any lover of musicals in general and 42nd Street in particular won't find this a drawback as the quality of the show stopping tunes and energetic dancing continues to be source of sheer delight.

It's a simple uncomplicated story set amidst the 1930s Great Depression when, as an announcement reminds the audience, mobile phones had yet to be invented. A novel amusing way to ensure they were switched off!

Here's the basic outline - the Wall Street Crash had left Musical Director Julian Marsh and his artists desperate to find work and as the intro fades away a bevy of young talented hoofers and singers hear that he'll be holding auditions the next day to find chorus boys and girls to appear in a brand new Musical 'Pretty Lady''.

The scene is set for an enchanting two and a half hours of pure delight. The curtain rises slowly and we see 20 pairs of young feet (the successful applicants) rehearsing the title song. A brilliant staccato tap dancing routine that's precision personified.

Enter a late applicant Peggy Sawyer (Jessica Punch) to be told she is too late to audition. But her persistence aided by words of confidence from the show's leading juvenile Billy Lawler (Ashley Nottingham) manages to convince Marsh to add Peggy to the cast. Marsh himself is embroiled in a series of confrontations with his leading lady Dorothy Brock (Julia J Nagle) who he feels is a fading star and unsuitable for the role. Unfortunately, the show's backer, Abner Dillon (Bruce Montague) just happens to be 'sweet' on Miss Brock to the extent of $1,000.00 dollars.

An accident to Brock leads to Peggy getting fired and Marsh, deciding there isn't anyone good enough to take her places, announces 'Pretty Lady' will be forced to close. Billy Lawlor and the despairing hoofers encourage Peggy to carry on when she decides she's going back to Allentown, despite the fact that everyone feels she's capable of taking over the leading role. In the process, they reckon she could save the jobs of the 'kids' who'll otherwise be back in the dole queue even before the show opens.

Marsh agrees. He confronts Peggy who reiterates she's going back to Allentown and blasts "What's that word I hear you say ALLENTOWN? I'm offering you the chance to play in the biggest Musical Broadway's seen in 20 years and you're saying ALLENTOWN!"

Agreeing to carry on despite her still lingering self-doubts, the tyrannical Marsh demands success. Roaring "You're going out there a youngster and you're gonna come back a star"

The happy ending. Peggy saves the day. The show's a success and Marsh, splendidly, played by Tim Flavin, reprises the title song climaxed by the inspiration behind his demand for a smash hit show-"Haughty, naughty, gaudy, Sporty,42nd Street"

42nd Street is packed with a host of nostalgic 1930 numbers. "We're in the Money", "Dames" and "The Lullaby of Broadway", a veritable dream for lovers of pure nostalgic Musical theatre.

Each and everyone of the cast give impressive performances, with the colourful finale, incorporating an illuminated stairway hosting a stunning tap dancing sequence, is even superior to the original Drury Lane production.

Birmingham has its permanent Broad Street but for a few short days it also hosted a taste of New York's dazzling 42nd Street. Let's hope it's not to long before another taste of this 'Big Apple' magic returns to the city.

Did you see 42nd Street? Leave a comment on the TV, Music, Arts Section of the Message Board.