This is a surprisingly fresh show (given its as old as me!) about a Washington socialite and friend of the president (Trueman) who’s posted as ambassador to an obscure European country and causes diplomatic havoc through her naivety and clumsiness.
It’s a fairly slight romantic comedy where the ambassador ends up with the PM and her aide with the Princess, but the political shenanigans are timeless (there’s even a US election happening at the time, which makes this Union Theatre production rather timely) and there are some nice songs and some good comedy.
It was written by Irving Berlin as a vehicle for Ethel Merman and it’s success does rely on the casting of the lead role, Sally Adams, who has most of the musical numbers and most of the best lines. Lucy Williamson, who I’ve seen a few times before, is a revelation. She commands the stage in a real star performance, delivered in a knowing way as if she’s sharing a private joke with you. She sings well and has great comic timing.
Amongst the other performances I was most impressed by Leo Miles as her aide who sang beautifully and moved with real style. It’s a fine ensemble too and MD Ross Leadbeater plays the whole score on a grand piano. I liked Mark Smith’s more modern choreography (it didn’t jar with the period) and it’s staged by Michael Strassen in his usual uncluttered style relying on three curtains, elegant costumes and fine lighting.
In an echo of an incident I witnessed on Broadway, when a man walked out of Gypsy loudly claiming Bernadette Peters was ‘no Ethel Merman’, another man last night, as he left the theatre, said ‘she doesn’t have the subtlety of Ethel Merman’. Well, I have no comparison, but for me Lucy Williamson claimed the role in a real star performance.
Great to catch a rarely performed show and yet another fine evening at the Union Theatre.
Leave a comment