The Bridge Theatre – until 4th January 2025
Reviewed by Liam Clarkson
5*****
The Bridge Theatre on the edge of the river Thames, overlooking Tower Bridge and the Tower of London is a very special venue which transforms itself into the streets of Manhattan and the Havana bars and clubs for one of the biggest, greatest and most loved musicals of all time.
The show at The Bridge, has now been receiving outstanding reviews since the start of its current run back in March 2023, but in recent weeks has had a cast change for nearly half the cast so it was worth reviewing this phenomenal musical again.
Written by Damon Runyon, Guys and Dolls is a musical based on the short stories he wrote in the 1930’s. These stories told of the world of gangsters, gamblers, and other characters of the New York underworld. The musical centres on two couples: gambler Nathan Detroit and his fiancee Adelaide, and Sky Masterson, who accepts a bet from Nathan to take Sarah Brown, the local mission leader, to Cuba.
Guys and Dolls had its premiere on Broadway back in 1950 and has since had many revivals both on Broadway and in London, as well as being made into a film starring Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando. The show first came to London in 1985, again for a run in 1997 and now has been spectacularly revived for its new run back in London. This show is one of the hottest tickets in town – and as soon as you arrive inside the Bridge Theatre you can feel and see why.
The staging is one of the highlights of this production. The set is designed to resemble a bustling new york suburban street. The vibrant colors and noises made us the audience feel as though we were truly part of the show – and indeed if you have chosen the standing immersive tickets, you soon become part of the show.
The tickets are in two categories – one seated in the raised stalls and the other in the immersive areas next to the main stage. The immersive area engaged the audience throughout as audience members were included in the performance with the actors singing with the audience, dancing and bringing individuals up onto the stage for specific parts of the play such as the dining scenes where members of the audience were sat down on the tables and chairs placed in the dining area on the stage. Even the stage hands whose job it was to keep immersive ticket holders in areas where they could see the stage properly, were part of the show. The blurring of boundaries between performers and the audience was fun and added an extra layer to the show – in fact by the interval, I was wishing I had purchased an immersive ticket instead. That being said the raised seating area and stalls were situated in a very good place allowing for an optimal view of the whole performance. The actors still made the people in the raised areas feel included in the performance with their eye contact and body language drawing us in and feeling part of the play even though we weren’t on or near the stage itself.
Throughout the performance, the stage is moving, rising up and down to expose new york skyscrapers and bars and with the amazing lighting this is a stage like you’ve never seen before. It continually remakes itself right before our eyes.
The Orchestra was far from being just in the background, the musicians were seamlessly integrated into the show, and their energetic performances added layers to each scene. The music interacted with the action happening on stage, creating a rich auditory tapestry that complemented the performers and enhanced the narrative’s emotional depth.
The actors were top class throughout with a specific focus on Skye Masterson (George Ionnides), Miss Adelaide (Timmika Ramsay) and Nicely-Nicely Johnson (Jonathan Andrew Hume). These three stood-out throughout the entire performance with their crisp, clear voices when speaking and singing in the musical parts and solos. Miss Adelaide was very suited to her role – traditionally depicted as a “dumb blonde”; Timmika’s portrayal of Adelaide shattered that stereotype as she brought depth and intelligence to her role, and was seen as a woman who deserves respect. Her journey was marked by a clear sense of empowerment.
This is Guys and Dolls on a whole new level – the colours, the noise, the interaction, the moving stage and the amazing performers not only bring this amazing musical into the 2020’s but in doing so appeals to today’s generation and future musical goers too. A very easy 5 star review from me. I am off to buy immersive tickets before it ends its run early next year.