It was plain sailing start to finish for the passengers and crew of the SS American.
Chock full of classic Cole Porter numbers including I Get A Kick Out Of You, You’re The Top and It’s De-Lovely this is a mad-cap, by-the-numbers rom-com.
Wall Street broker Billy Crocker (Darren Scriven) stows away to win over Hope Harcourt (Rebecca Han-De-Beaux) who’s marrying stuffy Brit Sir Evelyn Oakleigh (Paul Leech). Throw in on the lam public enemy number 13 Moonface Martin (David Crane), moll Erma (Julie Howes) and evangelist nightclub singer Reno Sweeney (Jo Whelton); rough seas doesn’t cover it.
It was a sure-footed performance by the whole cast, particularly the leads. Their foot-tapping rendition of Anything Goes which closed the first half really whetted your appetite for the second.
For me, Whelton stole the show; able to move you and make you laugh.
Congratulations to the set designer too for such a clever, flexible and fun concept.
The company’s next show is Sleeping Beauty from February 14.
Wayne Savage
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