January 2, 2016 (also Broadway 4/26/2009) Guys and Dolls – Savoy Theatre London West End (from the Chichester Festival) – Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser (6/29/1910 – 7/28/1969) based on the book by Jo Swerling (4/8/1897 – 10/23/1964) and Abe Burrows (12/18/1910 – 5/17/1985). The show was originally on Broadway from 11/20/1950 to 11/29/1953 at the 46th Street Theatre (renamed the Richard Rodgers Theatre in 1990) and has seen NY revivals in 1955, 1965, 1976/77, 1992 to 1995 and 2009. UK Opening: 10 December 2015 closing: 12 March 2016. Directed by Gordon Greenberg and choreography by Carlos Acosta and Andrew Wright Set design by Peter McKintosh, lighting by Tim Mitchell and sound by Paul Groothuis.
The original production won 5 Tony’s in 1951 including Best Musical, Actor, best featured actress, direction (George S Kaufman) as well as an Olivier for Outstanding Musical in 1982 and another in 2005, and a Drama Desk award for Outstanding Revival.

The story is about Nathan Detroit an itinerant gambler who has been engaged to Miss Adelaide for fourteen years, but never makes the final commitment and her patience is running out. As usual, he is broke and in debt, when a group of high rollers in the underground gambling of New York are in town and wanting to have a game of craps (dice). Nathan can make a fortune but has difficulty finding a venue. He eventually finds an underground location and the famous gambler Sky Masterson shows up. He has a side bet that he can bed / take out the puritanical missionary Sarah Brown. He takes her to Cuba and as he wins the bet, all the gamblers have to go to a prayer revival meeting at the missionary.

It seems like the director thought the show was a funeral by the lethargic induced performances. Adelaide showed some spark on occasion, Nathan is supposed to be the glue that brings the group together yet seemed to either overact, appearing to be a bafoon at the outset then was carried by the group. Sky showed potential, but during the big numbers in Cuba and with Sarah, he seemed to be walking in his sleep. The other gangsters seemed to bring some of the work that Loesser intended. It seemed to be more a Harold Pinter Type, pregnant pause production than a Frank Loesser high energy show. Tempo and phrasing of songs was altered as were some of the lyrics. The former had no apparent reason, the latter was to clarify for the British audience which made sense. (eg a lock on PS84 … Translated to Public School 84). Thus ended the first act and some of the audience felt they had been put through enough torture and departed.
The second act, however was a different production. It was like the coach went into the changing rooms and read the actors the riot act and told them to play better in the second half. Suddenly there was action, the players came to life and the sequence in the sewers/ crap game was terrific. The big Nicely-Nicely Johnson (played by Gavin Spokes) in scene was also very well done. Adelaide who was the only saving grace of the first act, continued her excellent performance in the second act. Sarah was also good and convincingly changed from the up-tight Salvation Army leader to the liberated woman in Cuba. Unfortunately, Nathan and Sky, although they attempted to improve, maintained their “weak” portrayal of their respective roles.

Miss Adelaide played by Sophie Thompson (The Physicist, Clybourne Park, Female of the Species, Measure for Measure, Company, Into the Woods [Olivier Award], As You Like It etc) was the best of all the actors and appreciated by the audience as such during the curtain call. Nathan Lane played by David Haig has an extensive West End and Broadway (Art) resume. (Someone Who’ll watch over me, Yes Prime Minister, Pressure [which I saw and he was brilliant], The Madness of George III, The Country Wife, The Sea, Mary Poppins and many others). It seems amazing that such a brilliant actor is directed to so underwhelm. A real shame for a great role and a great actor. Sky Masterson played by Jamie Parker (High Society, Henry V, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The History Boys [WE & Broadway] and others) again an accomplished actor who if well directed could have played a great Sky. Sarah Brown played by Siubhan Harrison (Pitcairn, From Here to Eternity, The Who’s Tommy, Grease, Marguerite and others), another accomplished actor, who did a reasonably good job of portraying Sarah.

Overall, an underwhelming production that could have been excellent as shown in places in the second act, had it been directed to have the energy it was written to embody.