Any betting man would give good odds that Guys And Dolls is a show you are going to really enjoy.
After all, it’s a classic of musical theatre, so it’s a fairly safe bet you’re going to know and love the music and enjoy the story – a comedy caper built around a floating crap game in New York of the 50s.
The roll of the dice is in how will Phoenix Youth Theatre handle Frank Loesser’s timeless masterpiece at Aberdeen Arts Centre.
The answer is they come up with sevens and elevens from start to end in a production that exudes charm, and wit, on top of singing and dancing with extraordinary polish for such a young, amateur cast.
Phoenix Youth pull out all the stop for Guys And Dolls at the arts centre
Even as the curtain opens to a bright and busy stage during the overture, you know Phoenix Youth have pulled out all the stops for this one. Big screen backdrops depicting street scenes of the Big Apple in the 50s, put the action firmly in the place and the era before anyone even opens their mouth.
Guys And Dolls is a rollercoaster of a musical. It wastes no time in setting up the premise – Nathan Detroit needs somewhere around Broadway to run his illegal dice game fast – and the characters, a heady mix of gambling sinners and Mission Hall do-gooders trying to save souls.
Enter gambler extraordinaire Sky Masterton, who takes a wager from Nathan that he can’t persuade Mission Hall “doll” Sergeant Sarah to fly off to Havana with him.
From that premises unfolds a cracking yarn full of numbers that are in the musical theatre hall of fame – all of them handled superbly well by the young Phoenix cast.
Phoenix Youth are a slick ensemble delivering barnstorming numbers
They really are a slick ensemble, be it essaying busy street scenes or coming together to deliver barnstorming big song and dance numbers.
Their take on Sit Down, You’re Rocking The Boat was huge, joyous and just marvellous fun, choreographed to within an inch of its life as the cast belted out a wall of sound, led by Finlay Gray as Nicely-Nicely.
Guys And Dolls though, really is a love story around Sky and Sarah, but also Nathan and his long-suffering fiance, Miss Adelaide.
And Phoenix come up trumps in their leads.
Matthew Cranfield is a slick and charming Sky, with a great voice that shines in the big set-piece number, Luck Be A Lady.
Nicole Stuart as Sarah has a soaring voice – If I Were A Bell shows it at its finest. She also has great acting chops, shifting from prim and proper in the Mission Hall to feisty, fiery and handy with a right hook in a Cuban bar.
How to get tickets to see Guys And Dolls at Aberdeen Arts Centre
Stealing the show, though, is the partnership of Leo Rataj as Nathan and Hollie Rafferty as Adelaide. Hollie can either belt out numbers like A Bushel And A Peck, or bring laughter but also poignant touches to Adelaide’s Laments.
Leo breathes life and soul into his Nathan, with comedy timing that would make seasoned professionals envious. He works his way around the clever but tricky script with ease. From his facial expressions to the way he moves – and sings – he becomes the centre of attention every time he steps on stage.
Watching Leo and Hollie working magic together in the lovely Sue Me, it’s easy to forget they are not professionals. Bravo to them both.
Bravo, in fact, to the whole company in what is one of the best productions Phoenix Youth has brought to the stage.
They don’t need luck. They’ve got talent and plenty of it.
Guys And Dolls by Phoenix Youth Theatre is at Aberdeen Arts Centre until Saturday. For information and tickets go to aberdeenartscentre.com
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