Casanova

Published Thursday 15 May 2008 at 15:50 by Barbara Lewis

Casanova, by his own account, was a man of many parts, but above all he was the legendary lover of more than 100 women, from aristocrats to nuns.

Philip Godfrey’s irresistible new musical concentrates on Casanova’s passionate prowess and minimises the darker undercurrents of venereal disease, incest, his encounter with the Inquisition and months in the Doge’s prison.

Whatever the result lacks in nuance, it more than makes up for in sheer joie-de-vivre, toe-tapping melodies and cheeky lyrics.

Anthony Flaum’s Casanova seduces us all with his grace, ease, confidence, twinkle in the eye and mellow singing voice.

Supporting roles are deftly performed, nimbly choreographed and lightly directed by Tim McArthur, who delivers lashings of gloriously unsubtle jokes and makes us relish rather than censure the incongruity of Welsh and Yorkshire accents being spoken from Prussia to Russia.

The many fine performances include William Ludwig’s kinky De Bernis and David Longden’s discreetly sinful Cardinal.

Casanova’s one true love, the dainty Henriette (Julia G Addison), is winsome in designer Sally Ferguson’s creative-on-a-budget costumes.

The one disappointment is the abruptness of the ending, not least because it’s the end of our whole-hearted enjoyment.