Anything Goes @ The Mayflower, Southampton
There’s not a lot to be said for Anything Goes that hasn’talready been written, but suffice it to say that for an 80 year old it’s certainly a sprightly show and this wonderful production, directed by Daniel Evans for Sheffield Theatres is a toe-tapping treat from first to last!
Before the show itself starts we’re treated to a trumpet and piano playing soft, jazzy interpretations of Cole Porter standards, easing the audience into the mood as light glints off the dazzling art deco set.
Evans eschews any preamble and as soon as the lights drop we’re off. Simon Rouse scores the first laughs of the night and immediately lets us know that despite this being a musical we’ll see some fine acting performances. His Eli Whitney is a study in comedy character acting and he relishes every line.
Matt Rawle makes a dashing leading man and holds his own whether singing, dancing or acting, but he’s eclipsed by Debbie Kurup who dazzles every time she sets foot on stage. Her rendition of I Get A Kick Out of You is a delight, Porter’s clever lyrics skipping over delightful music played with aplomb by Tom Brady’s orchestra.
Rawle’s Billy Crocker is in love with debutant Hope Harcourt, but his best friend Reno Sweeney (Kurup) has a thing for Billy herself. It’s a simple story, made more interesting by the cruise ship setting and a book that, for all its modern tweaks, has the unmistakeable sound of P.G Wodehouse in so many lines. That’s no bad thing though… few people can capture the joyous abandon of the 1930s in the way Plum so masterfully did!
As Hope, Zoe Rainey gets the short end of the straw in many ways. She sings beautifully and conveys her role well but just doesn’t get to have as much fun as Kurup!
Hugh Sachs makes for a mischievous Moonface Martin, but it’s Alex Young as Erma who sets their scenes alight. She plays the role with a knowing wink and manages to be sweet, sassy and sexy all at the same time! In fact Young steals just about every scene she’s in and when she gets her big solo number (Buddie Beware) she dazzles!
Of course every love story needs a rival for the heroine’s affections and ours comes in the form of Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, an aristocrat with a fascination for American colloquialisms. Stephen Matthews shows us that Evelyn is more than just the milksop so often portrayed in other productions and he relishes his numbers alongside Kurup’s Reno.
There are some lovely performances in supporting roles too, notably from Bob Harms as the ship’s Captain and Rohan Richards who relishes his cameo as Henry T Dobson.
Of course Anything Goes is nothing without good dancers and this cast has some of the best, they leap around with effortless energy and sing Cole Porter’s stunning tunes with gusto. They look stunning too, the costumes and set are first rate and capture the tone of the show perfectly!
If I was like so many other reviewers I might even say Anything Goes was De-lovely… but that wouldn’t do this wonderful show and sublime cast justice. I’ll just say that it’s de-lectable, de-lirious, it’s de-limit, it’s de-luxe, it’s… well, you get the picture!
