REVIEW: 42nd Street in (exactly) 250 words: Nothing Less (and Not Much More) Than Incredible Dance
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Harriet Wilson
Every West End musical has a good story, good music, and good choreography. But, in all successful musicals, something has to be better than good – in 42nd Street, it is the show's choreography. The show is crammed full of stunning tap dance and, although the songs and storyline feel like little more than an accompaniment to this, the end result is very impressive.
All in all, if you enjoy dance-heavy shows, you will adore 42nd Street. The tap is breathtaking, buoyed up by a stunning array of staging and lighting, superb orchestration and wonderful costume. Numbers involving a large portion of the cast are particularly enjoyable.
Other than the dance in 42nd Street, the show is fairly mediocre. It features some lovely songs, some great voices and a few genuinely funny moments – but the plot is fairly predictable and the pace drops a little the in sections between dance numbers.
Some members of the cast stand out as particularly impressive. Clare Halse, playing the character of Peggy Sawyer, brings a fantastic level of energy to the stage, and the chemistry between her and Tom Lister, who plays Julian Marsh with dynamism, is brilliantly handled. Sheena Easton, in the role of Dorothy Brock, also has a splendid voice.
Although seats for 42nd Street can be quite expensive, it is definitely well worth going to see the show if you are a fan of dance because it really does impress. 42nd Street is booking now until the end of July 2017.