REVIEW | Sweet Charity, Kristian Thomas Collective

Reviews

14 Dec

Written by Natasha

Disclaimer: gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.

The original Bob Fosse-choreographed production of Sweet Charity premiered on Broadway almost sixty years ago to a raft of Tony nominations. Based on a Fellini film with a script by Neil Simon, the original stage musical featured Fosse’s then-wife and lifelong muse Gwen Verdon, and was by all accounts a tour de force. Although revived since, and immortalised in the Shirley MacLaine-fronted film version, this musical is rarely performed so I was excited to see what the Kristian Thomas Collective made of it.

A bonus is mood music as I enter the theatre - a period soundtrack of on-theme songs. There is also a live band in the orchestra pit including an eminently pluckable double bass. Let’s dance, baby!

And tonight the dancing and singing do take centre stage. Although it’s billed as the story of Charity Hope Valentine, a girl who wants to be loved, the show is at its best in the ensemble numbers, in particular, a monochrome ‘Rich Man’s Frug’ and ‘I Love to Cry at Weddings’. Unsurprisingly, there is a big emphasis on dance numbers for something from the Fosse stable. Sam Holden’s choreography conveys a swinging sixties pizazz while retaining the minimalist motion of the original. The set is stripped back, relying on geometric screens and LED-decorated doorways. The tunes are wonderful, with Alana Fay Moran as the eponymous Charity in fine voice, an energetic and tuneful company, and (despite technical difficulties) particularly delightful duets between Nickie (Helen Perry) and Frenchie (Lydia Thacker). The band do well with a tricky score, with brass, wind and percussion and that wonderful bass jazzing up proceedings.

Despite all of these fabulous ingredients, however, the show doesn’t quite live up to its promise. In many ways, this is down to the source material. There’s a reason why there are so few contemporary productions of Sweet Charity. Although the 2005 revival of the show tweaked the ending to try to empower Charity’s character, the musical as a whole gives her very little agency; she is always defined by the men around her. Viewed from a 2023 perspective, there are infinite problems with the show’s themes and attitude - ultimately, it’s also an extremely thin story. While it may have held up a mirror to mid-1960s attitudes towards love, sex and relationships, to today’s audiences it seems quaint at best and outdated at worst.

This leaves the audience viewing a series of well-presented set pieces but not necessarily able to relate and emotionally connect with the character of Charity and her romantic conundrums. What passed for humour in the 1960s either goes over our heads or falls flat. Similarly, the plot is at times just plain silly - ‘Rhythm of Life’ is an amazing song, but its appearance is out of place, despite helping illustrate the psychological difficulties experienced by Oscar (Dave Covey, fabulous as all of Charity’s leading men.) Yes, a lightweight, frivolous swinging sixties romp can make for an entertaining spectacle, but I like a little more depth with my froth.

Once again, however, KTCo has showcased a talented cast as, following their fabulous interpretation of Kander and Ebb’s Curtains, they continue to explore some of the lesser-performed musical theatre shows. Visually interesting and with a talented cast, director Alysha Gomes keeps the show moving, and the ensemble numbers in particular bring some life to the story. And as always, I’m looking forward to seeing what KTCo produces next!