Guys and Dolls Junior is a version of the popular musical set in 1950s New York. The performance, which features such instantly-recognisable songs as Luck Be a Lady and Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat, follows the lives and loves of a group of gamblers led by Nathan Detroit. Nathan is looking for a place to hold an illegal crap game but needs $1,000 to pay for a venue. To raise the cash he lays a bet with high-roller Sky Masterson challenging him to get a local missionary, Sergeant Sarah Brown, to travel with him to Cuba. Sky tricks Sarah into accompanying him to a restaurant in Havana where he falls in love with her and begins his redemption.

Nathan is doing his best to alienate his lover, Miss Adelaide, a showgirl who just wants her fella to go straight and settle down. The story twists and turns with both Sky and Nathan attempting to land, and keep, the loves of their lives while eluding the attentions of the police. By the end of the musical the gamblers are betting for their very souls.

The entire ensemble cast deliver a stellar performance in this all-singing all-dancing extravaganza. The majority of the actors successfully produce step-perfect dancing and melodic singing. Jack Townsend is coolness personified as the dapper Nathan Detroit, complete with stylish suit and a relaxed arrogance. Connor Melrose is slightly stilted as Sky Masterson, perhaps not quite exuding the charm required to court Miss Sarah, but more than makes up for this with his stromg clear voice during the musical numbers. Miss Sarah is played by Kelly McCabe who gives the character an understated innocence but with a lash of rebellion in her eye.

Lauren Mairs steals the show as the bold brassy showgirl Miss Adelaide. Dominating the stage whenever she appears, she shows the perfect mix of bravado and insecurity and is utterly believable whether singing, dancing or just pining after Nathan after being let down once again.

The performances are generally good, but the direction lacks cohesiveness - meaning that the story feels confused. This is probably due to time constraints but there is no excuse for a relatively simple story such as this to lack a clear linear narrative. While the musical numbers roll by satisfactorily, the dialogue between is less clear and sometimes awkward. There is a feeling that everybody involved is just keen to get to the next musical set-piece as quickly as possible.

Lighting plays a major part in a notably sparce set and credit must be given to the technicians who successfully recreate everything from the streets of New York to a Cuban restaurant using nothing but light, colour and shade. Choreography is also strong, with the emphasis on simple routines - ensuring that the large cast all nail every step perfectly. Overall this Guys and Dolls is thoroughly entertaining, but not quite slick enough to do justice to the seedy world it aims to portray.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Iyesha Bradbury – Hot Box Girl. Lauren Cleave – Lt Brannigan. Iona Grant – Harry the Horse. Claire Grieve – Hot Box Girl. Emma Harley – Hot Box Girl. Natasha Klos – Mission Band. Caitlin McCabe – Arvide Abernethy. Kelly McCabe – Miss Sarah. Megan McCabe – Angie the Ox. Lisa McGurk – Hot Box Girl. Ellie McPhail – Benny Southstreet. Lauren Mairs – Miss Adelaide. Connor Melrose – Sky Masterson. Chloe Nethery – Hot Box Girl. Sasha Pender – Hot Box Girl. Jenna Penman – Hot Box Girl. Claire Primrose – Mission Band. Michaela Proudfoot – Mission Band. Rebecca Reekie – Big Jule. Tyra Reekie – General Cartwright. Veronica Reekie – Mimi. William Reekie – Nicely-Nicely Johnson. Ashley Ross – Hot Box Girl. Jack Townsend – Nathan Detroit. Stephen Walker – Rusty Charlie. Elissa Weeden – Mission Band.

Company Credits: Music & Lyrics - Frank Loesser. Book - Jo Swerling & Abe Burrows. Artistic Director - Suzanne Lofthus. Musical Director - Agnes Smith. Choreographer - Katie Simon. Lighting Designer - uncredited. Sound Designer - uncredited. Stage Managers - Blair Forbes, Arlene Forbes, Jacqui Dempster. Sound and Lighting Cues - Graham Dempster. Dance Captain - Sasha Pender. Front of House / School Nurse - Pat Dempster. Front of House & Backstage Helpers - Christina Geraghty, Katie Jeffreys, Zoe Mann. Producer - uncredited. Company - Take3 Theatre Company (Fife). Website - www.take3theatre.com.

END

(c) David Hepburn 2009

reviewed Monday 10 August 09 / The Merchants' Hall, Edinburgh UK

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com