42nd Street at The Bristol Hippodrome

Posted on: 2023-08-01

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Timeless showbiz fairy-tale 42nd Street danced onto the stage at the Bristol Hippodrome last night, the latest stop on an acclaimed UK tour

 

Having started life as a Busby Berkeley choreographed hit for Warner Bros in 1933, the tale was brought to life on the stage in 1980 and has provided escapism and some much-needed Broadway glamour ever since, raising the spirits of audiences across the globe.

 

This musical within a musical is a celebration of showbusiness, the resilience of theatre and the extraordinary spirit of Broadway. It is a timeless and uplifting story that brings together jaw-dropping tap dance routines, backstage mystery, romance and delightful comedy to keep the audience entranced.

 

It tells the story of fresh-faced ingenue Peggy Sawyer. Straight off the Greyhound bus from small-town Pennsylvania, she has wound up in the Big Apple with the dream of seeing her name in lights.

 

Catching the eye of big-time director Julian Marsh, she joins the chorus line of Pretty Lady the latest musical to grace Broadway. Unexpectedly she soon gets her chance at stardom as leading-lady Dorothy Brock is injured and Peggy finds herself centre stage.

 

Robert Jones’ set and costumes are fantastic. From the moment the curtain rose to show us carefully chosen images of Depression-era New York it was obvious we were in for a treat.

 

 

Utilising lighting and projectors to great effect, he simply but effectively adds depth to the stage, and transports the audience from a warehouse rehearsal space to downtown New York, and on to scenes from Pretty Lady’s opening night with effortless ease.

 

The costume designs are just as beautiful, perfectly evoking the era. With the magnificent sequined outfits for the big dance numbers, oozing glitz and glamour and bringing the required razzle-dazzle to a drizzly night in Bristol.

 

The whole cast are superb, each member of the strong ensemble working together as one to create a spectacular production. The score of well-known classics including We’re In The Money, Keep Young And Beautiful, 42nd Street, and Lullaby of Broadway are all performed beautifully. And the large-scale numbers, where everyone is on stage, dancing in flawless unison are sensational and make the show something really special.

 

The leads are all outstanding, a plethora of household names, with years of experience on stage and screen. As co-writers and producers Maggie Jones and Bert Barry, Faye Tozer and Les Dennis are hilarious, a perfect comedy double act.

 

Samantha Womack brings glamour and presence, as well as fantastic vocals to her role of the aging actress whose star is beginning to wane, with Michael Praed exuding charisma and class as the determined, but world-weary director.

 

 

Special mention must go to Nicole-Lily Baisden, who is perfectly cast as Peggy. She captures the wonder and wide-eyed innocence of the character, shows off some impressive vocals and nifty footwork, and draws the audience in from her first moment on stage.

 

Big, bold, and bright, this fantastic production is musical theatre at its best. Guaranteed to make you leave the theatre with a smile on your face and singing the nostalgic classics all the way home.

 

42nd Street runs at Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday 5th August, secure your tickets HERE.


Article by:

Sarah-Jane Howard

Sarah-Jane is an aficionado of film, theatre, culture and the arts. A voracious reader and avid crafter, she can be found volunteering her face painting talents at Bristol Zoo when she's not cementing her reputation as Coalpit Heath’s cake maker extraordinaire. Known to have an opinion on everything she’s never happier than when sharing these with the good folk of Bristol!