Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical – Dominion Theatre

Tom Chambers and Aled Jones in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical at the Dominion Theatre, London. Picture: Vivienne Vincent

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical continues at the Dominion Theatre London, until 3 January 2015.

Only the most humbug of Scrooges could fail to warm to the Dominion Theatre’s 2014 Christmas offering – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical. Based on the classic 1954 movie, but with a book adapted by Venus in Fur’s David Ives and producer Paul Blake, this technicolor spectacle is a festive feast that won’t leave you reaching for the Rennies.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas – for yes, that’s its somewhat clunky title – began life in San Francisco in 2004, and first made it to the UK in the winter of 2006/7, when it graced the stages of Plymouth and Southampton. Since then, it has kept a glut of soap and pop stars in work each Christmas and delighted audiences with its predictable storyline but slick production values and knockout performances. And there are some big-hitting songs: White Christmas”, of course, but also ‘Sisters’, ‘Count Your Blessings‘ and ‘Blue Skies’.

As with the Bing Crosby-Danny Kaye movie, the ‘let’s do the show right here’ plot is the rather scrawny Christmas tree on which the glittering song-and-dance baubles are generously strung. Two ex-servicemen, now big stars of stage and screen (Aled Jones and Tom Chambers), are distracted from their winter break in sunny Florida by the Haynes Sisters (Louise Bowden and Rachel Stanley), who’ve been booked to sing in the chilly northern state of Vermont. Before long, the boys find themselves romantically involved with the sisters and rooming in a Vermont guesthouse run by the matronly Martha Watson (Wendi Peters, the highlight and, for me, surprise of the night) and owned – oh, what a coincidence! – by their former army General Henry Waverly (Graham Cole).

The details aren’t important, but there’s enough misunderstandings and righting of wrongs to give the cast plenty of excuses to break into song and dance. Jones and Chambers may not have a lot to play with in terms of the script, but they do their best with what they’re given, with Jones in fine voice and fleet-enough of foot to keep up with the dance numbers, which are glorious, thanks to Randy Skinner’s choreography. Chambers, the dancer, is the more charismatic of the two, but doesn’t overshadow Jones, except where it matters in the feet department.

The leading ladies also deliver, nicely mirroring the boys: Stanley vocally, and Bowden excelling in the dance routines. ‘The Best Things Happen When You’re Dancing’ brings out the best in Bowden as she cavorts with Chambers, but can I believe that Stanley’s besequinned Betty Haynes would fall for the uncool cardigan of Jones’ Bob Wallace? No, but it’s Christmas and miracles can happen.

While this wholesome foursome provide the turkey, the stuffing and gravy (always the best bits) are provided by a strong support team in the shape of the pocket-rocket Peters as the bespectacled, beehived housekeeper – a character straight from the panel of a Gary Larson comicstrip – and the gruff General Waverly, brought to life by the surprisingly good Cole. These two steal the show with their characterful personas and, in Peters’ case, incredible voice, powerful enough to knock the snow off the roof. (Yes, it snows at the end, fluttering down over the audience!)

The joy of this Christmas cracker, however, is the ensemble and dance work. The big routines – ‘Snow’, the fantastic ‘Blue Skies’ and the literally showstopping ‘I Love a Piano’ – really do fill the epic Dominion stage and are a sheer delight, elevating this potentially schmaltzy or sickly sweet confection to a West End must-see.

‘I Love a Piano’ is one of those shoehorned-in numbers that has absolutely nothing to do with the plot, but who cares when it’s packaged up so perfectly? MD Andrew Corcoran controls an 18-piece orchestra that sounds fantastic, thanks in no small part to Larry Blank’s orchestrations. And the costumes! No surprise that the biggest list in the programme is the 26-strong wardrobe and wig department (including, I notice, the aptly named Janet Christmas!).

If, like me, you’re not a fan of panto but want to take the family to something festive that’s got recognisable faces off the TV, then this is the show to see this season. It feels right at home in the beautifully refurbished Dominion, so if you’re a fan of the classics, don’t miss it – it’s a warm-hearted, well-meaning musical, just like the ones we used to know… (sorry, couldn’t resist…).

 Craig Glenday

www.whitechristmasmusical.co.uk