Sweet Charity – Watermill Theatre, Bagnor

Gemma Sutton and Alex Cardall in Sweet Charity at the Watermill Theatre, Bagnor. Picture: Philip Tull

Sweet Charity continues at the Watermill Theatre, Bagnor until 15 September 2018.

Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

First performed in 1966, Bob Fosse’s microcosmic study of naivety in the search for love retains its nostalgic qualities 50 years later in this production at the Watermill.

Why, in the opening lines, we are told that the year is 2018 though is questionable – the lyrics written by Dorothy Fields to accompany Cy Coleman’s music have not noticeably been altered so that the score still refers to a typewriter and the whole plot would disintegrate had Charity and Oscar had a mobile phone in the elevator when they got stuck.

We can only assume that resident director Paul Hart felt that in 2018 the story would be edgier, enable him to incorporate more current American politics and appeal to a wider audience.

There is no need as it leads only to some incongruous inconsistencies and Sweet Charity is more than capable of maintaining its position as an iconic musical for today’s audience in spite of its advancing age.

On the plus side, Hart has created a theatrical masterpiece with the actor-musicians executing arguably some of the most challenging directorial and choreographic manoeuvres seen at the Watermill.

He puts his cast through a physical and mental work-out to achieve beautifully orchestrated and synchronised routines that carry each musical number over and above expectations.

The brassy overtones throughout pervade the atmosphere to illustrate the seedier aspects of life in New York City with triangles and cymbals giving a contrasting feeling of optimism, a theme which is personified by the lead character, Charity Hope Valentine.

Charity’s constant search for love amongst the gritty backdrop of sleazy New York is portrayed by Gemma Sutton who is a constant livewire, giving a performance of dynamic vitality that never falters.

Alex Cardall belies the fact that it is his professional debut with a sensitively observed and well-crafted performance as Oscar with Elliot Harper capturing the essence of the gentle lothario Vittorio Vidal.

The taxi dancers from the Fandango club are played out with gritty, street-wise disdain by Vivien Carter as Nicky, Nicola Bryan, Stacey Ghent, Emma Jane Morton and Laura Sillett and Tomi Ogbaro soulfully leads the ‘Rhythm of Life’ number with jubilant enthusiasm as Daddy.

Samuel Morgan-Grahame is club boss Herman who turns out to have a softer side in his rendition of ‘I Only Cry at Weddings’ and the cast is more than ably completed by Matthew James Hinchliffe, Thomas Ping and Tom Self.

Video projection combines with a resourceful set to lead the action from Central Park to the Fandango Club and superbly re-creates the scene in the elevator as well as enabling us to witness Charity’s amusing scene in Vittorio’s clothes closet.

Sweet Charity may be more than 50 years old but, in the hands of the inimitable Bob Fosse and the Watermill’s Paul Hart, her themes of ethical choice, unrequited love and the search for ideals stand up to the test of time.

Julie Watterston