42nd Street – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Picture: Darren Bell

42nd Street continues at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London until 26 January 2020.

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Just a year after the most spectacular version ever of 42nd Street closed at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Ovation is treating us to the most intimate ever as the company’s eagerly-awaited yearly musical arrives at Upstairs At The Gatehouse in Highgate Village.

With the West End production recently shown in cinemas across the globe, this is really a bold choice and I must admit that for the first few minutes seeing less than 10 pairs of tapping feet appear below the raising curtain seemed disappointing.

But director John Plews and his producer wife Katie have once again assembled a talented cast and so brilliantly work their way around the obvious space limitations for this UK Fringe premiere.

True the traverse stage restricts the dancing space even a little bit more, but clever use of a small upper stage on one side and the transforming marquee on the other side create a perfect design for this intimate gem of a production, giving the audience a sort of insider’s perspective.

Responsible for that fitting design is Emily Bestow, also in charge of the colourful and glittery costumes. Another Gatehouse veteran, Sam Waddington, is responsible for the impressive lighting design and John Reddel is on the keyboard leading the six-piece band for which he has also written some nice arrangements.

À smart move on the part of the Plews was to request the services of Simon Adkins, who previously played the lead in Singin’ in the Rain at the Gatehouse and was resident choreographer in the last West End revival.

Adkin does not make the mistake of duplicating the original choreography but instead has created his own routines, working wonders with the space and the excellent cast.

If Kate-Anne Fenton didn’t quite captivate at first as Peggy Sawyer, she did grow on me in Act II and boy she can dance.

Alex Wadham, already seen at the Gatehouse in High Society, is the perfect Julian Marsh, closing the show with his impressive rendition of the title song. Tamsin Dowsett is equally perfect casting as a two-dimensional and temperamental Dorothy Brock.

The supporting cast is equally excellent but the discovery of the evening is recent Urdang Academy graduate Rory Shafford who is a showstopping Billy Lawford, demonstrating his amazing singing and dancing talents plus some acrobatics thrown in.

The enthusiasm of this youthful cast is indeed contagious and if this Fringe production doesn’t have some of the usual spectacle, it sure makes up for that in sheer energy.

It also puts back the emphasis on Michael Stewart and Mack Bramble’s original book, showing off how funny it really is.

So please rush to the Gatehouse before 26 January and get a taste of this timeless show from another angle, you surely won’t regret it.

Patrick Honoré