REVIEW: SWEET CHARITY, Menier Chocolate Factory, December 3 2009

I worry that the Menier Chocolate Factory will become a victim of its own success. With its recent fabulous musical revivals heading into the West End and even over to Broadway (Sunday in the Park with George, Little Shop of Horrors, La Cage Aux Folles, A Little Night Music), when they announced that this year they'd be having a go at Sweet Charity, great things have been expected.

So is Sweet Charity better than its predecessors at the London Bridge venue? Well, no. But it's certainly up there in terms of quality. This is a fantastic cast performing brilliantly in a tight ensemble piece, directed with style by Matthew White. Mark Umbers plays the multiple roles of Charity's love interests, which is a quirk that works exceptionally well, demonstrating our heroine's refusal to learn from experience; Josefina Gabrielle doubles up as dancer Nickie and glamorous femme fatale Ursula, the reasons for which are unclear but anything that gives her more time on stage has to be a good thing.

And what of Charity herself, Tamzin Outhwaite? She's certainly an appealing leading lady, with a strong voice and good comic timing, but I suspect she can bring a little more to the character than is currently evident.

The uncomfortable benches are still present and correct (having suffered a bout of sciatica last time I was there, I now take pillows to sit on - people may laugh but I am the one laughing by the end of the show) but it's worth the pain just for Stephen Mear's ingenious choreography. The space is used to spectacular effect, with the clever routines performed by a fabulous group of dancers. If this production gets its well-deserved West End transfer, it will be interesting to see what changes will be made.

Sweet Charity is running at the Menier Chocolate Factory.