Malvern Festival Theatre
(Mercury Theatre Colchester, Brian Eastman and Christabel
Albery)
 |
| Hayden Oakley & Laura Pitt-Pulford |
The Smallest Show On Earth, a 1957 British movie starring
Peter Sellers and Margaret Rutherford, has been wonderfully adapted for stage
by Thom Southerland, Paul Alexander and an incredibly talented creative team and troupe of
equally gifted performers. This new musical, with songs by Irving Berlin, is
utterly charming and perhaps should be renamed The Sweetest Show On Earth.
The story follows a young scriptwriter and his new wife,
struggling to make a success of things in London. They believe their fortunes
have taken a turn for the better when they become the unexpected inheritors of
a cinema in Sloughborough, only to discover it is on the verge of collapse both
architecturally and economically. They decide to nurture The Bijou Kinema back
to its former glory with the help of the devoted staff, despite the attempts of
their rivals, at The Grand, to ruin them.
Southerland, who also directed the show, has gathered
together a superb team of people to make his vision a reality. As well as his
costumes, David Woodhead’s set is incredible and so beautifully lit by Howard
Hudson’s lighting design. Lee Proud’s choreographer is cheerful, vibrant and
brings a fresh dimension to Berlin’s songs with the help of Mark Cumberland’s brilliant
orchestrations and Mark Aspinall and his amazing orchestra. Southerland has a
real love of creating cinematic atmosphere in his productions and fans of his
revival of Mack and Mabel and his more recent Grand Hotel, both at the Southwark
Playhouse, will not be disappointed.
The fourteen strong cast are excellent. The stunning Laura Pitt-Pulford
is phenomenal and perfectly paired with the adorable Hayden Oakley, as the
newly-weds. Both are amazing actors with the most delicious voices and you cannot
help but love them both and wish for their 'happily ever after'. Liz Goddard is
as lovely as she is funny in the role of the matriarchal Mrs Fazackalee, with
Sam O’Rourke giving an endearing performance as her poor, suffering son.
Christina Bennington has powerful vocals as the Sloughborough Songbird after
replacing the rather theatrically flamboyant solicitor, energetically played by
Matthew Crowe.
The only disappointment of the evening was the unbelievably
small turnout for this amazing production. It didn’t seem to matter though
because the audience loved it and fully showed their appreciation throughout.
This musical is nostalgic, romantic, funny, delightful and deserving of much
accolade. Go and see The Smallest Show On Earth. It will lift your spirits and warm
your soul on a dark, cold night.
5 stars
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