17/02/24

Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh

Once in a while, there’s a perfect match between a show and the company that’s presenting it. This is definitely the case with the Edinburgh University Footlights production of Guys and Dolls. The twenty-one young actors who inhabit Damon Runyan’s cast of unforgettable characters provide enough energy between them to power the National Grid.

Nathan Detroit (Benedict Baxter) is looking for a venue in which to host his beloved (illegal) crap game, as well as desperately prevaricating whenever his fiancée of fourteen years, Miss Adelaide (Megan Le Brocq), attempts to get him to name the date for their wedding. Meanwhile, at the Save-a-Soul Mission, Sarah Brown (Nina Harman) is struggling to bring the word of the Lord to the streets of downtown New York. When she encounters inveterate gambler Sky Masterton (Sebastian Schneeberger), a romance ensues – but she’s unaware that he’s accepted a bet from Nathan to lure her to Havana.

When the truth comes out, it’s sure to be awkward…

Jauntily directed by Phee Simpson, this is a production so packed with good things that my review is in serious danger of becoming a long list of superlatives, but I shall try to reign myself in. Rosie Fletcher’s choreography deserves special mention. She makes the most of every inch of the Pleasance’s relatively small stage, creating a visual extravaganza that enhances our understanding of the characters and their situations; an extended sequence depicting a frenzied crap game, powered by the Footlights’ huge orchestra, is a genuinely thrilling experience.

Harman, who has a stunning voice, nails her role with aplomb, and Le Brocq perfectly captures the world-weary charm of Miss Adelaide. Baxter’s Nathan Detroit is wonderfully caustic and Shneeberger handles the tricky role of Masterton with just the right degree of cool. But there’s room for every member of the cast to shine and they seize their opportunities with gusto. Check out the wonderful interplay between Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Benji Castella McDonald) and Benny Southstreet (Dan J Bryant) as they deliver the unforgettable title song. What’s more, Castella McDonald’s delivery of Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat virtually threatens to blow the roof off the building.

Of course, it always helps when there’s a raft of great songs to perform and Frank Leosser, Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling created them way back in 1950. The wonder is that they still sound as fresh as ever. Guys and Dolls is a truly electrifying experience, a reminder that some shows never seem to age and, while I’ve seen quite a few productions over the years (including one at my daughter’s school, where she was playing General Cartwright), this one, powered by a cast of supremely talented young performers, is surely the most impressive.

You’ve one more chance to catch this glorious show. Don’t miss out.

5 stars

Philip Caveney