Katie Birtill and James Haggie in Sweet Charity at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. Picture: Mike Kwasniak
Sweet Charity continues at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich until 26 September.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
There is a bitter sweet quality in a good production of Sweet Charity, and Peter Rowe’s staging brings out all the comic tragedy of Neil Simon’s book. We see the seedy side of 1960s New York through the eyes of Charity, along with all the flawed, needy, exploitative men along her path. Whilst the movie, and our central character, need a happy ending to make all things good, the original stage musical leaves her unresolved, hoping that maybe next time she will find someone to accept her.
At the end of the show, I joined my fellow audience on their feet in celebration of a cracking musical. It has a tight and character-filled ensemble, a design team that uses the unusual stage shape of the Wolsey to its absolute advantage, and a central leading lady in Katie Birtill, who gives us a childlike joy and a musical power which is charming, funny, sad, quirky and musically assured.
Like most readers of Musical Theatre Review, I have seen many different productions of Sweet Charity, but I don’t think I’ve seen one better delivered as a drama with cracking songs. The closet scene with Vittoria Vidal (Jeffrey Harmer) is perfectly timed. The fairground ride with Oscar (James Haggie) is poignant and leads us to hope for the best. Her two work sisters Nickie and Helene (Katia Sartini and Sophie Byrne) really makes us care about them. Herman (Paul Kissaun) offers us angry bear with a heart and Daddy (Dan de Cruz), with the entire company, offers us a joyful reason to adopt ‘The Rhythm of Life’.
This is an actor-musician production, and as such can require us to accept shortfalls in one area or another – there are a limited number of quadruple threats. Here Rowe’s direction, choreographic musical staging (Francesca Jaynes) and musical direction and arrangement (Greg Palmer) plays to the strengths of the piece and the company.
The staging is enhanced by the comic book pop art design by Libby Watson and video team Will Duke and Joseph Valentine. If I missed a bit of the Fosse dance troupe, the collective creative ensures a dramatic focus on the smallest moments with sensitive lighting by Nick Richings and crystal clear sound by Drew Baumohl. I was particularly struck by the choreographic focus and stillness from the ensemble as the band.
Actor-musician shows are a speciality of the house and I hope this production will be seen in other venues around the UK, as was the Wolsey’s 2011 production of Guys and Dolls.
At its core, however, the show depends on an excellent leading lady, and Birtill gives it heart, character, sensitivity and big delivery of the memorable Cy Coleman/Dorothy Fields numbers. I am sure this will be a good calling card for her with some of the other producers and artistic directors who I spotted around the packed house.
Worth a trip to this always welcoming theatre. Maybe this time…
Chris Grady
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