Tuesday 25th July 2023 at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House.
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Few shows can boast the kind of spectacle and sense of trapped-in-amber theatrical magic that 42nd Street delivers. Based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and the movie of the same name, and with book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, 42nd Street takes us back in time to see a show-stopper musical within a show-stopper production.
It’s 1930’s New York and big-time producer Julian Marsh (Michael Praed) is bringing a brand new show to the stage. “Pretty Lady” will be an SRO hit of the highest order and therefore needs a star attraction, arriving in the shape of diva-with-connections Dorothy Brock (Samantha Womack), and a killer chorus. He gets both – and a little more than he bargained for when the clumsy yet hugely talented newbie Peggy Sawyer (Nicole-Lily Baisden) joins the chorus.
Jonathan Church directs, smoothly guiding us through this simple backstage tale of stage dreams, showbiz egos and romantic skirmishes. And such dramatics and flashes of comedy are very nicely intertwined with high energy musical numbers and sentimental crooning via Harry Warren’s fabulous music and Al Dubin’s mix of playful and golden age lyrics – “We’re in the Money”, “Lullaby of Broadway” and of course “42nd Street” are all highlights.
Womack nails the prima donna and all her cutting dismissiveness beautifully and showcases a voice which those who’ve never seen her on stage before will never see coming. Praed offers soulless money-maker schtick with embers of dreams just about burning while Faye Tozer transforms entirely, playing Maggie Jones with great comic timing and charisma. And worthily stealing the spotlight time and again is Nicole-Lily Baisden who is a magnetic performer of the triple threat variety. As Peggy Sawyer, she plays bright eyed ingénue to perfection and sings and taps up a storm, making her both thoroughly endearing and a real joy to watch.
But while 42nd Street has a pretty classic plot, the real draw is of course the famous grand scale tap numbers, and this production does not disappoint. The superb chorus deliver a demanding array of tap numbers with awe-inspiring energy and synchronised precision – watching such a talented, polished cast is quite the spell-binding experience. And this production glorifies spectacle in all areas: Bill Deamer’s choreography and musical staging are enchanting; Robert Jones’ set and costume designs are stunning and Ben Cracknell’s lighting designs (along with Jon Driscoll’s projections) bring flair and drama to the colliding worlds of backstage and the streets of New York.
42nd Street is an irresistible, mesmerising reminder of why bona fide classics deserve their place on our stages. Yes, there are brief elements here which don’t quite align with the overall flair, but it’s very easy to don Peggy’s rose tinted glasses and be willingly swept away by the production as a whole. Ultimately, there are many great musicals of yesteryear, but this one is a standout.
42nd Street is at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House until July 29th 2023 – more information and tickets can be found here.
Always Time For Theatre 