Graham MacDuff in Singin’ in the Rain at the Kilworth House Theatre, Leicestershire
Singin’ in the Rain continues at the Kilworth House Theatre, Leicestershire until 19 July.
Star rating: 4 stars ★ ★ ★ ★
It’s always an extraordinary theatrical experience at Kilworth House Theatre, an outdoor venue purpose-built for the musical stage and absorbing and exploiting the natural surroundings in all kinds of novel ways. No modest gutter here for Don Lockwood to make a splash in at the end of Act I of ‘Singin’ in The Rain’ – there’s room on this stage to fill a small lake. And they do.
Director and choreographer Mitch Sebastian has assembled a West End quality cast for his ninth successive production, on Philip Witcomb’s sweeping and versatile art deco set that places the orchestra at the centre of the action and truly evokes that era of transition from silent films to talkies. Jenny Gayner’s squawking, hysterical Lina Lamont is toe-curlingly good in every excruciating articulation. Graham MacDuff is a strong presence as the screen idol, Don Lockwood, and Adam Margilewski is the irrepressible Cosmo Brown, all over the stage in the high-energy movement of numbers like ‘Make ’Em Laugh’ and ‘Moses Supposes’.
Carolyn Maitland performs with purity and integrity as Kathy Selden, the girl who really can sing. She sustains her notes so beautifully that when she sings ‘You Are My Lucky Star’, her words seem to remain suspended on the night air.
It’s such inventive choreography, always appearing to erupt spontaneously out of nowhere rather than on cue. It takes unexpected directions, as in the sensational full company number ‘Broadway Rhythm’ in Act II. That fleetingly melts into a ballerina doing arabesques and then returns with fluidity to high-octane dance.
The show – lavishly costumed – never flags. It’s got glitz, glamour, high-speed tapping, big numbers and always something to catch the eye. John Morton’s musical leadership and piano is inspired. As night falls here, the lighting gets more and more atmospheric and the pace gets hotter. Simply ravishing.
Pat Ashworth
www.kilworthhousetheatre.co.uk
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.