Singin’ in the Rain

This was written for the screen in 1952 and didn’t get staged until 1983 – and in London (Tommy Steele & Roy Castle!), not Broadway. There was a terrific production by Jude Kelly at the NT (from West Yorkshire Playhouse) in 2000 and another at Sadler’s Wells (from Leicester), also with Adam Cooper, in 2004. This is the 2011 Chichester Festival Theatre production transferred to the Palace Theatre and I’m coming to it 7 months late!

Set at the outset of the talkies, it tells the story of silent screen couple Lockwood & Lamont. Lina Lamont is fine when she isn’t talking or singing; so for her the talkies will be a disaster (not that she sees it that way). She’s dubbed by Lockwood’s real love interest Kathy but is exposed when she becomes too big for her boots.

It takes a long while to take off, but when it does the set pieces (most in the second half) are glorious. In addition to the very wet tile number at the end of each half (we escaped, but only just, in the 7^th row of the stalls) there’s the delightful trio Good Morning and the brilliant Broadway Ballet. Simon Higlett’s grey design is transformed as it gets splashed with colourful costumes and the neon of Broadway. Andrew Wright’s choreography is exceptional – fresh and sprightly. For a musicals novice, director Jonathan Church has done a good job!

It’s been great watching Adam Cooper’s transition from ballet to musical theatre and he’s really at home here, one-third of an outstanding trio of leads that also includes an impressive Daniel Crossley and the now mandatory Strallen – this time Scarlett. I’m afraid I thought Katherine Kinglsey pushed Lina’s whining and screeching way too far in a performance that wasn’t so much over the top as on the other side altogether. Robert Scott’s 13-piece band sounded a lot more than that and gave the score a real big band treatment.

This isn’t Broadway / Hollywood’s finest, but it’s a great production and a fun night out – definitely deserving of its transfer.