Review: SHOW BOAT, New London Theatre, April 28 2016

Show Boat is recognised as a classic show in the Musical Theatre canon and Daniel Evans does a worthy job of bringing it back with style and class. From the opening chord, the wonderful score sounds better than ever and what could be a clunky revival feels fresh, exciting and polished.

Evans' direction is smooth, lingering in poignant privacy before whisking us into a larger social space, or even another century. Lez Brotherson's design continues to impress throughout as he builds on the impressive three-storey boat that oozes out towards the audience in Act 1. The glitz and glamour of the production works to romanticise the piece, lifting the love stories to even higher heights.

Evans has been blessed with a fantastic cast, all of which sport stunning voices. Recent graduate Emmanuel Kojo gives a resonating performance of Ol' Man River, the delightful Rebecca Trehearn gives a show-stopping Bill and both Gina Beck and Chris Peulso melt hearts with their undeniable velvet tones.

The list of fantastic performances could go on, partly thanks to Alistair David's pulsating choreography. Pitched beautifully, the ensemble movement sections work for everyone and create some of the most memorable moments. It's a perfect fit for Danny Collins who plays the excitable Frank to perfection, delightfully bouncing around with skill, humour and charm.

The story of Show Boat stretches boldly through a lifetime, giving glimpses of a number of eras and allowing an audience to grow up with the characters. It's this nostalgia that will keep the show a success in the West End, as certain audiences will jump at the chance to see this show again. Can it draw in a new crowd? Evans certainly does the best possible job.

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