If you’re looking for an undemanding night of fun and glamour this is the show for you. It hasn’t had a lot of press attention, a victim of snobbery from both theatre critics and dance critics who’ve largely ignored it’s arrival in town but don’t let that put you off, it’s their loss.The inspiration for the show is classic Hollywood. They’ve got a rather shaky grasp of their period historically as the costumes, music and action dot back and forth, all over the place between 1920’s silent cinema, forties film noir and fifties dance hall but this isn’t about reality it’s about escapism.
In the opening scene Teddy Kempner is established as a private eye, and Abbie Osman as a stunning, leggy blonde who’s hired him to recover some compromising pictures that prove she’s been unfaithful to her gangster boyfriend.
Vincent and Flavia are two former stars of the TV show STRICTLY COME DANCING. They don’t sing or act but boy, do they dance!
They head off to the film studios and... well, to be honest the plot left me behind from this point on. Vincent somehow ends up with the pictures and... well, anyway it involves lots of sexy girly in beautiful costumes and hunky men in cop uniforms and sharp suits whirring around to classic swing based numbers with lots of drums and brass.
The songs are usually delivered by Osman or, from a mic stand in the top, right corner of the set by Oliver Darley, a superb vocalist who can sound as smooth as melted chocolate or raise the roof with up-tempo material. A few of the dancers take a turn on the lyrics too either live or, I suspect, with backing tracks because nobody can dance that hard and sing at the same time plus be equally gifted at both - except, apparently, our blonde who is a knock out every minute she’s on stage.
This show's not about taking any artistic risks so there’s no original numbers, just old favourites including Cry me a River (in the thrilling new Michael Bublé arrangement), Feeling Good, I’m a Woman (feels a little odd to have a country song in the mix but, hey), Moon River, Orange Coloured Sky, Stand By Me, right up to Paolo Giovanni Nutini’s 2009 hit, Pencil Full of Lead. You see, I told you they dotted all over the place but it all pretty much fits within the “old school Hollywood” concept.
The action’s played out on a smart and functional set by Morgan Large suited to touring, this show’s been all around the country prior to the West End, but there’s enough add on bits and sumptuous lighting by James Whiteside to persuade you you’re watching something big budget. The costumes by Vicky Gill are always neat and gorgeous, not easy to achieve when worn by dancers whose moves could easily demolish an outfit in seconds.
One of the reasons it’s easy to overlook the period inconsistencies is the jokey script by Ed Curtis that is constantly sending up the baloney that serves for a plot along with the conventions of... let’s call it 40’s film noir, although there’s plenty of gags which would sit comfortably in Cinderella.
The stars, of course are Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace. I’ve never seen their work before but their exhilarating fancy foot work across all the musical genres more than justifies their names being over the title; especially in a tango finale when, alone on stage, they generate enough sexual electricity to light up the neighbourhood.
The audience were purring with pleasure throughout, silly grins plastered on every face. I can guarantee you a fast moving, laugh-out-loud funny, toe tapping evening that will send you out into the cold winter night walking on air.
I can guarantee you a fast moving, laugh-out-loud funny, toe tapping evening that will send you out into the cold winter night walking on air.
In a West End that’s full of deliciously sly, cynical musicals, Book of Mormon, Urinetown, Scottsboro Boys, etc. there’s room for classy fluff like this.
The perfect cure for the winter blues and a great destination for a girl's night out or office party. Just don’t take a historian!
This is the second brilliant musical dealing with past American racism to open in the West End this autumn and London is enriched as a result. Not just because of the issues raised but because MEMPHIS and now SCOTTSBORO BOYS are examples of how skilled writers, creatives and actors are proving beyond a doubt that great musical theatre can be intelligent, original and provocative yet also be very, very entertaining.