Infectiously joyful
Singin’ In The Rain is one of my favourite musicals of all time, and the 1952 film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds is still considered one of the greatest movie musicals ever made. So, when I saw it was coming to Manchester’s Royal Exchange, I was so excited and my expectations were set high.
Directed by Raz Shaw, the show is staged in the round, which creates an intimate setting whilst still capturing the bright, exuberant spirit of MGM’s Hollywood during the transition from silent films to ‘talkies’. The show, very cleverly, features an eight-piece band and Matthew Malone’s orchestrations and musical direction really elevates the musical numbers. Constant shifts in lighting and staging, along with actors popping up in the balconies as film directors, immerse the audience completely and recreate the larger-than-life energy of the original film.
Louis Gaunt as Don Lockwood and Carly Mercedes Dyer as Kathy Selden were a great pairing. Gaunt had the easy charm of a Hollywood leading man whilst bringing a real sweetness and sensitivity that really sold the relationship between Don and Kathy. His dancing skills were also phenomenal. Dyer delivered a powerful, beautifully clear vocal performance, with her rendition of ‘You Are My Lucky Star’ leaving the audience transfixed.
The standout performances for me were Laura Baldwin as Lina Lamont and Danny Collins as Cosmo Brown. Baldwin was hilarious from start to finish, with razor-sharp comedic timing and her accent was on point for the grating, high pitched tone of Lina Lamont. Her number ‘What’s Wrong With Me’ was a highlight. It takes a lot of skill for such a strong singer to sound deliberately terrible and the little glimpses she gave the audience of her true vocal ability was a real treat.
Collins as Don Lockwood’s vaudeville best friend was scene stealing in all of the best ways. His ‘Make Em Laugh’ relied almost entirely on his physical comedy, and he performed it with precision, charisma and almost acrobatic athleticism.
There were truly no weak links in the cast. The accent work, vocals, stage presence and comedic timing were strong across the board. I felt a bit apprehensive before ‘Good Morning’ and ‘Singing in the Rain’ because they are so iconic in the film, but choreographer Alistair David and the cast honoured both numbers beautifully. I felt genuinely lucky to witness them live.
Overall, it was an incredibly joyful experience. The cast looked like they had fun and the audience definitely had fun. Applause erupted after every musical number, people in the front row took getting splashed with water like good sports, and by the end everyone was on their feet. It was one of the happiest theatre experiences I have had, and it is no surprise the Royal Exchange has extended the run until the 25th of January.