Sally Samad, Steffan Lloyd-Evans, Debbie Kurup, Oliver Tompsett and Alexandra Da Silva in The World Goes Round at the St James Studio Theatre, London. Picture: Bonnie Britain
The World Goes Round – The Songs of Kander & Ebb continues at the St James Studio Theatre, London until 7 February.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
Even though The World Goes Round has not quite achieved the same kind of profile for Kander and Ebb as Side By Side By Sondheim has for another masterful songwriter, this brilliantly devised and arranged song cycle has certainly helped to increase public recognition of the two gentlemen who penned such popular musicals as Cabaret and Chicago, as well as the iconic popular song ‘New York, New York’.
Perhaps this great songwriting team (Ebb sadly passed away in September 2004) never wished for public fame, but their material is deservedly receiving more and more recognition. The body of work is enormous and their distinctive musical style is well illustrated in this catalogue of songs which cleverly avoids placing similar songs together, except when done as a medley. An example of the latter is the cleverly arranged ‘We Can Make It’/‘Maybe This Time’/’Isn’t It Better?’ segment.
Their music is well served here by a high calibre cast dominated by the always excellent Debbie Kurup, last seen at St James Studio in Rhythm of Life, a tribute to another musical theatre genius: the great Cy Coleman. Kurup’s rendition of the title song kicks off the show with a bang and her version of the slightly too often done ballad ‘Maybe This Time’ is equally fresh and outstanding.
Alexandra Da Silva has her shining moment with the Liza Minnelli speciality number ‘Ring Them Bells’. Oliver Tompsett does a fine job with the title song from Kiss of the Spider Woman but he is somehow overshadowed by a fresh as paint Steffan Lloyd-Evans who brings us a younger but surprisingly effective Mr Cellophane. The spirited Sally Samad has her best number with another Minnelli vignette, ‘Arthur in the Afternoon’, from little known show The Act.
The four-piece band, led by musical director Kris Rawlinson, does justice to the brilliance of the material and perhaps the classy production’s only weakness is the lack of dancing. However, just the joy of seeing Kurup, one of the West End’s best Velma Kellys, perform ‘All That Jazz’ is a thrill in itself already.
Once again Neil Eckersley has treated us to a first-class production of well-crafted work not to be missed during its all too brief transfer from The Pheasantry to the St James.
Patrick Honoré
* Readers may also be interested in:
Interview – Oliver Tompsett in The World Goes Round – The Songs of Kander & Ebb
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