GUY AND DOLLS - The Apollo Players, Montrose

A review 

Last night the Apollo Players opened in Guys and Dolls at the Town Hall in Montrose.   Under the guiding baton of Derek Noble the orchestra struck up the overture in a tradition that combined swing and Jazz and took us back to the New York of 1950s

The story?  Well, it’s light and easy to digest, a little dated and simple, implausible in the main – but hey, that’s Entertainment.  And entertaining it certainly is.  But essentially, the clue is in the title.   Guys and Dolls is a musical set in New York in 1950 but based on stories written by Damon Runyon in the 1920s.  Think West Side story without the angst, guns or knives, and with added wry humour and . . .   ok, well it’s not really much like West Side Story at all.  Perhaps it is more Keystone Cops meet Laurel and Hardy.  

(Aside:  This show was famously made into a film in 1955 starring a very young Marlon Brando, a very beautiful Jean Simmons and the already elder statesmanlike Frank Sinatra and has been revived on stage, notably at the National Theatre in London many times over the years with a raft of top names.)

The guys are mostly rotten gamblers and their costumes were simply stunning.   Do not adjust the vertical hold!  The accents were one of the most surprisingly good things about this production.   I could almost taste the cheesecake from Mindy’s (based on the real life wonderful Lindy’s) served by native Noo Yoikers.

Leaving aside the double trouble of the two lead couples for a moment, I don’t think I could fault the acting, singing and dancing of the male ensemble if it were on the West End stage.  That is no criticism of the ladies (of which more later) – but perhaps an observation that their costumes were so eye catching one was drawn to watch more closely.

To a man, once into their stride in the opening number our gang of lovable rogues played their hearts out to the audience and to their strengths, some of which were kept under wraps (definitely of the bread variety) until almost the end; watch out for Nicely Nicely when he gets his moment.   The lights followed them and brought each character alive as the story progressed.   Moment of the night for me was the sartorially (and deliberately) discordant number set in the mission hall towards the end of the second half pretty well summed up the whole of the show’s narrative.

Our dolls were divided between the stalwart ladies of the Salvation Army whose announcing theme was the mildly correctional anthem ‘Follow the Fold’.   Each of the ladies carried  their own individual character which belied the uniformity of their, err, uniforms.  

Secondly, a troupe of dancing girls with probably the greatest number of costume changes and occasional partial disrobings – but nothing that would shock grandma!   They took us with ne’er a hitch from a down at heel New York nightclub to the beaches of Havana and brought the rhythms alive with their dancing and singing and wowed with their costumes that were bang on trend as well as reflecting the immediate post war re energised fashions.

Of course, the main narrative is the love story developing between two couples:  two of our gamblers anonymous gentlemen with a Salvation Army officer and a small time show girl.   Here the audience were treated to four really strong and believable characterisations with hidden depths being sought and found.   Nathan Detroit let slip a charming vulnerability under the dressing of a card sharp’s suit; Sky Masterson gave us a tantalising glimpse of little boy lost under that successful bad boy exterior;  Miss Adelaide brought a sense of tender inevitability and enduring courage  packaged in a bubbly survivors exterior and Sarah Browne tugged at the heart strings as the lost-in- love good girl struggling with unfamiliar desires.  All four of the actors had wonderful voices, well coached and balanced that blended beautifully in their set pieces. 

So, can true love overcome differences and change people from within?    Get a ticket and find out for yourself.

A stellar cast brought the witty script and somewhat flawed (aren’t they all?) fairy story to life.  Yes, there were weak moments, but they were only moments.   One slightly off timed starting note; a dress train stepped on causing a log jam.   But the cast smiled and carried on; their own obvious enjoyment of the night could not help but rub off on the audience.

Well done  Mr & Mrs Noble, the management,  players, orchestra  and backroom boys and girls looking after front of house, lighting, costumes, make up, sound and doubtless other behind the scenes facets even I am not aware of.    Bravo.  Take another bow.     A wonderful event from an organisation that is far from Am Dram.    I end by entreating all readers to find time to support such ventures, for of opportunities such as, dreams are made.

p.s. Apologies for not naming names but I do not have a programme to hand and omission or error would be a sin.   You know who you are – all of you. 

http://www.apollomontrose.co.uk/