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Taking a spin on the Carousel
CAROUSEL
Savoy Theatre
ROGERS and Hammerstein’s musical version of Molnar’s play Liliom is the tragic love story of Julie, a factory girl who falls for handsome rough-cut fairground barker Billy.
Out of work and not easily settling into marriage, he gets caught up in a robbery and kills himself to avoid the consequences.
Lindsay Posner’s production opens with the cloth mill where Julie works, setting the hard edge of the story. Despite its less-than-perfect hero, this is a romantic piece – a fact beautifully reflected in William Dudley’s settings, which make good use of his now-trademark computerised projections, replete with rippling waters in the background, a rowboat trip past a flashing lighthouse and a journey up into the stars.
There is a lovely moment when love blossoms, and while stars come out behind them, the tree under which Julie and Billy sit bursts into lilac flowers.
Julie’s best friend, Carrie, is a lively Lauren Hood, whose gently pompous beau is Alan Vicary’s Mr Snow.
Graham MacDuff gives the real baddie, Jigger, a Dickensian air and a pair of nimble feet.
The whole cast is in good voice (though a little over-miked) with Lesley Garrett playing Nettie, who befriends the heroine, as though she must have worked in vaudeville before opening her café and delivering You’ll Never Walk Alone as full operatic aria – very much a “character” when set against the other more
naturalistic performances.
The show is packed with other equally great songs, from If I Loved You to June is Bustin’ Out All Over, and Adam Cooper has given it some lively choreography.
Though a dance for the factory girls is a trifle too balletic there is a very athletic number for the men and a brilliant ballet sequence for when dead Billy gets to watch his nearly grown-up daughter (beautifully danced by Lindsey Wise).
The fantasy ending is saved from being sickly sentimental by the sincerity of Silber’s playing and that of David Collings as local doctor – which follows his lovely cameo as the man in charge of arrivals at Heaven’s back door.
In all, a fine revival and, at three hours (with interval), better value than some high-priced West End shows.
Booking to July 25, 2009
CNJ Booking line 0870 040 0070 |
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