Prepare to be dazzled as 42nd Street has arrived at Curve.
This well known musical tells the story of Peggy Sawyer, played by Nicole-Lily Baisden. Peggy hails from the small town of Allentown in Pennsylvania and dreams of being the star of the show one day. She arrives in New York with her tap shoes and huge hopes.
She (literally) bumps into Broadway director Julian Marsh, played by Adam Garcia, who gives her a place in the chorus line in his new production ‘Pretty Lady.’
When the star of the show, Dorothy Brock, played by Ruthie Henshall, breaks her ankle and can’t continue, the director sacks Peggy, thinking she had something to do with it.
The cast approach him to suggest Peggy take the lead. There’s just one small problem – he’s already sacked her. He decides to go to the train station to try to persuade her back – and with the help of the cast, he succeeds.
The pressure is then on Peggy as she has 36 hours until the show opens to learn all the songs, dances and 25 pages of dialogue.
She pulls it off and the show is a resounding success.
Each and every one of the cast nails this – the dancing and singing is superb in equal measure. It is an absolute joy to watch. It was lovely to see Les Dennis in the show, who came across as a really likeable character.
Every song and dance was delivered impeccably, with my favourites including ‘We’re in the Money’, the titular ‘Forty-Second Street’, ‘Shuffle off to Buffalo’ and ‘Lullaby of Broadway’.
The set is incredible, giving the audience an insight into backstage rehearsals, compared to the bright lights of the auditorium. It is on two levels, allowing for those dramatic entrances down the staircase, doubling up as the train station steps as Peggy is persuaded to come back.
The costumes, as you’d expect, full of sequins and shimmer, really are the icing on the cake in this show.
This production is sheer toe-tapping brilliance.
42ND Street, Director – Jonathan Church, Choreography – Bill Deamer, Designer – Rob Jones, rehearsal image, 2023, American Church, London.
42nd Street is at Curve until Saturday 3 June.
Tickets £10 – £61
