From the gritty underground sewers of New York to sassy hotbox dancers and devout missionaries, SUPAS presents a diverse and entertaining night in Guys and Dolls.
SUPAS | Guys and Dolls
Cameron Bisset directs a raw interpretation of 1950s New York, in which the never sleeping world of Broadway and its back street gamblers eagerly await the annual phenomenon of Nathan Detroit’s illegal, floating crap game.
Desperate to find the $1000 to hire a venue for his dice-shooting game, Detroit bets the charming gambler Sky Masterson (Josh Taylor) that he cannot take highly-strung missionary Sarah Brown (Emily Parker) to dinner with him in Havana. A bet which results in the most unusual coupling in New York.
Meanwhile, showgirl Adelaide (Megan Gunn) is anxious that her 14-year long engagement with Nathan (Sam Chapman) will not lead to the dream wedding she has been hoping for, an anxiety that leads to a permanent psychosomatic cold.
As the curtain came a up, the glitz and glamour of Broadway life was revealed, with SUPAS definitely making the most of the limited space available to them.
The orchestra, who were strategically placed at the back of the stage, provided the perfect backdrop both aurally and visually, creating the rustic jazz-like atmosphere indicative of the show.
Though the balance between the orchestra and voices was not quite met, the orchestra were nevertheless tight and meticulous.
The cast certainly grew into their parts as the show progressed, with the acting and singing becoming stronger and stronger. The chorus numbers for “Luck be a lady” and “Sit Down you’re Rocking the Boat” were fantastically choreographed and full of Broadway glamour.
Playing the part of Adelaide comically and enthusiastically, the multi-talented Gunn suited the role perfectly from the moment she came on stage, acting with vigour and confidence.
Similarly, the chemistry between Skye and Sarah was genuinely tantalising. Taylor and Parker gave the audience a beautiful insight into a couple that are seemingly opposite yet perfectly matched.
Undeniably, SUPAS had worked tirelessly to provide a credit worthy show in which both actors and audience were having fun.
I left the theatre with both the nasal New York accent and the catchy show stopping tunes buzzing round my head and I’m pretty sure they will remain there for the forthcoming days.
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A positive review. It highlighted talent and potential but kept the cast & orchestra grounded. Clearly lots of fun was had by all.
Ellen reviews with clarity and brevity and puts in a nutshell an excellent appraisal of the cast and characters of this classic show.