By Sarah Groszewsi.
42nd Street is a timeless fairy tale that combines comedy, dance and retro glamour in a dazzling showbiz spectacular. Starring Samantha Womack, Les Dennis and Faye Tozer, the new production is directed by Jonathan Church.
To describe 42nd Street as ‘all singing, all dancing’ might be a cliché, but every moment was filled with big showstopping tunes and visually stunning dance moves. Although it is best known for tap choreography, describing it as a tap show doesn’t do it justice at all. The show is a must-see for fans of all types of dance; it opens with scenes of ballet practice, moving through tap, tango and jazz in a Sally Bowles-esque cabaret scene. The set is spectacular, full of sparkling art deco backdrops and clever use of lighting to create depth of stage and the changing of scenes. The costumes are what my childhood dreams were made of; sequined to the max, glamorous and so much fun, ticking every box of my juvenile imagination – sequined shorts, top hats and tail coats, dancing canes, elegant dresses that glistened like diamonds.
The plot isn’t a sophisticated one, but it is fast paced. We are transported back to 1930s New York City where Julian Marsh is set to launch a new Broadway show during the Great Depression, but his leading lady has two left feet. In comes Peggy Sawyer, a newcomer to New York and to the chorus. Will Peggy get her chance to shine? You can probably guess the answer. But don’t be put off; the high energy dance moves and glitz and glamour of the costumes and set more than make up for a lack of thrilling plot twists.
Samantha Womack plays Dorothy Brock, the leading lady in Julian Marsh’s show with supposedly two left feet, but in 42nd Street she was by far the star of this show! I am only familiar with her acting in Eastenders and Game On, so I was more than a little surprised to hear her incredible voice effortlessly belting out huge showtunes. She couldn’t have looked any more like the Hollywood stars of yesteryear, with her blonde waved bob and ballgowns, and an incredible stage presence. As a woman of a certain age I was equally excited by seeing two of my childhood icons in the cast – Faye Tozer from Steps, and Les Dennis from Family Fortunes, and neither of them disappointed.
42nd Street the musical is based on the book of the same name, written by Bradford Ropes and published in 1932. Initially it’s easy to forget this is a story that was written over 90 years ago, absorbed in the slick production and razzle dazzle of the huge chorus line, but there are undercurrents of the darker side of the 1930s rippling through the lyrics and the lighthearted comedy – the Great Depression, job insecurity, the need to Keep Young And Beautiful if you want to be loved – gritty parallels to life in the 2020s where the cost-of-living crisis and misogyny fill the front pages. These darker themes are cleverly woven through the plot and addressed in a way that still manages to be upbeat if you don’t listen too carefully to the lyrics. When the cast sang ‘There’s a Sunny Side to Every Situation’ it was easy to forget that they were singing about the potential of poverty and unemployment while tapping your toes along to the catchy tune. ‘Lullaby of Broadway’ may start with a man being a little too forceful with his opinions over a young woman for my liking, but the production of this song in particular still managed to give me goosebumps.
As a child I dreamed of being in a musical like 42nd Street, with the old Broadway glamour and a sea of sequins. In my 30s I decided to pursue this dream and joined an adult tap class. Long before the end of that first class I realised this was never going to be anything more than a distant dream and that I was never going to have the relentless energy or weightlessness that professional tap dancers have. The cast in 42nd Street barely break a sweat all night, making long and energetic dances look effortless.
This production of 42nd Street is a larger than life feelgood musical and I defy anyone to stop their own toes from tapping their way through show tune after show tune. And sorry to anyone who heard my rendition of ‘We’re in the Money’ as I left the theatre, this show reawakened all my childhood dreams of being a Broadway star!
The iconic song-and-dance spectacular, 42nd Street, is at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre from 3 – 7 October 2023, as part of their UK tour.
- In Common is not for profit. We rely on donations from readers to keep the site running. Could you help to support us for as little as 25p a week? Please help us to carry on offering independent grass roots media. Visit: https://www.patreon.com/incommonsoton
