ON YOUR TOES; Rodgers and Hart, Leicester Haymarket, till 25 May
Leicester
ON YOUR TOES: Music Richard Rodgers, Lyrics Lorenz Hart, Book Rogers Hart George Abbott
Haymarket: Tkts 0116 253 9797: Evening Performances 7.30
Runs 2h 50m, one interval, till 25 May
Review: Rod Dungate, 11 May 2002
Stylish revival of an important classic reveals hidden depths and exhibits a multi-talented companyI love being able to have my cake and eat it: which is just what this superb revival enables us to do. A charming, dotty, period story that makes you all warm and cuddly, good music and songs and a terrific finale – jazz ballet Slaughter on Tenth Avenue. But the eating and having doesn't happen by accident – it's the Haymarket's serious look at the musical, discovering and delivering a simple honesty in the telling of the tale.
Music professor, Phillip (Junior) Dolan (ex-Vaudeville headliner) takes a jazz ballet written by one of his students to the Ballet Russes – performing in town. The Professor also falls in love with student Frankie Frayne while Prima Ballerina, Vera Baronova, comes on to him having fallen out with her lover, Konstantine. Usual stuff really.
But this is special. Director Paul Kerryson adds just the right hint of camp to ensure the chow's charm – particularly in THERE'S A SMALL HOTEL. (This number is beautifully sung by Linzi Hateley (Frankie) to the Prof (Adam Cooper): she has a clear, easy and enormously warm voice.) But there is no sight of camp in their relationship: Hateley and Cooper mine the truth. It's sentimental, but it's genuinely moving. We care about them.
Adam Cooper also choreographs. Dance numbers are elegant and charming; whether it's the pastiche ballet LA PRINCESS ZENOBIA or title number ON YOUR TOES (for both ballet and jazz). Piece de resistance, SLAUGHTER ON TENTH AVENUE is expertly handled, full of atmosphere in Paul Farnsworth's neon lit set. The challenges it still may hold for some musical-goers is nothing to the challenge it held in the 1930s.
I, too, liked the grace and dignity of Cooper's choreography for his duet with Ballet Manager and benefactor Peggy Portman. Peggy P is given a fine, full-flavoured performance by Kathryn Evans.
Phil Dolan II, Stage Doorman: Greg Pichery
Lil Dolan II, Gabrielle Noble
Phil Dolan III: Matthew Malthouse
Junior Dolan (15 yrs later): Adam Cooper
Sidney Cohen: Simon Coulthard
Frankie Frayne: Linzi Hateley
Vera Baronova: Marguerite Porter
Anushka: Juliet Gough
Peggy Porterfield: Kathryn Evans
Sergei Alexandrovitch: Russell Dixon
Konstantine Morrosine: Irek Mukhamedov
Ensemble: Claire Boyd, Heather Craig, Matt Cross, Richard Curto, Teddy French, Clare Holmes, Thomas Paton, Lucy Potter, Pippa Raine, Philippe Reynolds, Danielle Young
Director: Paul Kerryson
Choreography: Adam Cooper
Musical Direction, Arrangements: Julian Kelly
Design: Paul Farnsworth
Sound: Frank Bradley
Lighting: Chris Ellis
2002-05-12 18:15:43