REVIEW: 42nd Street At The Mayflower Theatre

Transport yourself back to 1933 New York because that’s exactly where Southampton’s Mayflower theatre was tonight. ‘42nd Street’ is as classic as musicals come. It has everything; the glitz and the glamour, show-stopping acting, a magnificent orchestra, and of course those famous toe-tapping songs. This musical almost epitomises Broadway, and they just aren’t made this way anymore. ‘42nd Street’ is based on the 1933 film of the same name and is most well-known for the wildly impressive tap dance numbers. Director Jonathon Church (Singin’ In The Rain, The Drifters Girl), has perfectly managed to mix the old with new to tell this iconic feel-good story in an updated, rejuvenated way that doesn’t feel dated in the slightest. 

The story follows a small town American girl, Peggy Sawyer, arriving in New York City and dreaming of her name up in lights. She catches the eye of a big-time director and gets her big break in the chorus line of a brand new show on Broadway. But when the leading lady gets injured, Peggy gets a shot to see her name in lights. The idea of this story is one that so many people can connect with in different ways. We’ve all had a dream of catching our break, and just like Julian Marsh tells Peggy in the show, “people trying out all over the world will be thinking maybe they’ll get their big break and be the next Peggy Sawyer.” (Or something along those lines at least). This show is funny, heart-warming, breathtaking and just exactly what you think of when somebody says the word, ‘Broadway’. All of these things have to stem from the fantastically energetic and charismatic cast that tell the story not only through song, but through dance as well. 

The whole company were just sublime. The dances were inch perfect, the acting superb, and the singing was top form as well. Fantastic! There are a few shoutouts that have to be made however. Samantha Womack who played the role of ‘Dorothy Brock’, was terrifically camp and had such a powerful voice, controlling the stage and audience with her presence. Michael Praed, who played the role of ‘Julian Marsh’ was fantastic in his delivery and really helped the show flow from point to point. Faye Tozer and Les Dennis (yes, the same Les Dennis who had a well timed exit from Strictly) played the roles of ‘Maggie Jones’ & ‘Bert Barry’, who were the classic on stage duo that brought a bit a light to the scene exactly when it needed it – always getting a laugh from the audience, brilliant work! And finally Sam Lips (‘Billy Lawlor’) and Nicole-Lily Baisden (‘Peggy Sawyer’), were not only outstanding in their own right – but as the ‘will-they-won’t -they’ love interests as well. Sam’s voice was just immaculate, and to sing as he was in-between energetic dance breaks was extremely impressive. Nicole’s story telling throughout was inspired. You followed and felt attached to the nervous yet bubbly girl you met at the start of the show, and stayed with her as she evolved into the star of the show. Not to mention her dancing and singing ability as well. Incredible! I honestly cannot state how awe-inspiring watching the whole company dance numbers was. I understand that as a dancer, 42nd Street is one of the hardest shows to get cast in, and now I can see why. Their hard work certainly doesn’t go unnoticed. Just exceptional from every last company member! 

The set and lighting for the show were big, bold and sparkly. I know I’ve said it already, but even the set was everything you’d expect from a Broadway or West-End show. Not only was it big and extravagant, but it was also really cleverly thought out and put together. The use of shadows and projections throughout was really well done. Usually when shows use projections, I feel as though the idea of the projection is always better than the execution. This was not the case for ‘42nd Street’ however. Projectionist, Jon Driscoll, has nailed exactly what is needed for a projection to remain effective but not look tacky. Ben Cracknell, lighting designer, has also clearly worked closely with Jon and Robert Jones (set and costume designer), to be able to light such an array of different scenes. One piece of design that particularly sticks out in my mind is the ‘shadow dance’ on the white screen using shadows from both in front and behind the curtain. So simple yet so effective. I also loved how the set would go from the stage of ‘Pretty Girl’ (the show within the show), to backstage of that very show, just from the drop of a curtain or stage surrounding with a quick light change. 

Another thing that stood out to me was the costume design. More specifically how this accentuated the dancing. The dancing by itself was really telling a story, but the period accurate costumes on top of this just added that extra cherry on top of the cake. A personal favourite of mine was the gold sequinned blazer that ‘Billy Lawler’ wore during one the songs, and the way in which the light shone off of it. The costumes were suave yet glamorous and it all worked together wonderfully.

Now tap dance is its own form of music and rhythm, but the show would be nothing without the live orchestra that went along with it. The musical has some very famous songs such as ’42nd Street’ and ‘Lullaby of Broadway’, along with a beautiful swing and jazz score. To hear all of this with a live orchestra just makes the show feel that much more real. The way in which the tap dance and orchestra complimented each other was wonderful and I love how the conductor (Grant Walsh), became a character by becoming the conductor for ‘Pretty Girl’. Extremely clever, and it makes the audience feel even more a part of the story. 

‘42nd Street’ is everything you’d ever want a musical to be and more. The story is timeless, and the fact that it’s 90 years old backs this up. The breathtaking tap dance routines that the show is famous for are mesmerising, and the mixture of classic romance and comedy is delightful. The whole musical gives a sense of that backstage intrigue, of what goes on behind the curtain – and by letting us in, we feel like we’re part of some sort of secret. Each and every dancer, actor, singer – anybody and everybody involved in this show deserve a big round of applause. I wish all the cast and crew of ‘42nd Street’ the best of luck as they continue on their UK tour and here’s hoping that the timeless musical keeps tapping on.