Sweet Charity, though, isn’t just a collection of catchy tunes. It is a staple of traditional American musical theatre, made up of a great book, hilarious jokes, and a lead character that can make you feel just about every kind of emotion. Charity is a woman who goes through life like a whirlwind – picking up every guy around, and genuinely loving him, only to find out that he never loves her. In the musical, we see her with three very different men, and how her genuine personality isn’t always met with the reception she hopes for. In addition to this, the role is one of the toughest all-singing, all-dancing roles a woman could play, so you need a pretty special leading lady to play her.
Enter Tamsin Outhwaite, best known to the nation as playing Mel on Eastenders. “Great,” you might think “another soap actress who thinks she’s got what it takes to be a West-End star.” And boy does she have what it takes! From start to finish, Outhwaite involves you with her character, immerses you in the story, and dazzles you with her fine dancing. OK, so good dancing isn’t everything – it’s rare nowadays you find a leading lady who can dance, sing AND act to perfection – but Outhwaite does it – and with constant focus.
A musical is very rarely dependant on one woman though, and a half-decent supporting cast, you think, would suffice with such a stellar leading lady. Well half-decent they are not – outstanding they are. All of the supporting roles are danced, sung and acted brilliantly, with Stephen Mear’s Fosse-influenced choreography standing out particularly in The Rich Man’s Frug and If My Friends Could See Me Now, amongst others.
In addition to the supporting cast and ensemble, Mark Umbers is on-hand playing all 3 of Charity’s love interests throughout the show. A risky move you might think, but Umbers proves it to be a wise one as he shows off 3 completely different styles of acting and singing. Fine acting like this is rare in the West-End in these days of jukebox musicals and lazily written plays, but Umbers deserves every credit for his outstanding performance, and one that blends perfectly with that of his leading lady.
Tamsin Outhwaite in Sweet Charity
The general production of Sweet Charity seemed to glide effortlessly from overture to curtain-call, with slick staging, and marvelous sets. Not to mention, the luscious sounds coming from the onstage orchestra.
Boasting a cast of just 15, this production is a fine example of what modern musical theatre can, and should be. It deserves every success it receives.
5*
