Marguerite

Published Wednesday 21 May 2008 at 11:35 by Lisa Martland

On paper this world premiere had all the hallmarks of a hit waiting to happen - the original creative team behind Les Miserables, an Oscar-winning composer, a hugely experienced director and one of this country’s most talented musical theatre performers.

How then could the results of their collaboration be so ordinary?

This final production in director Jonathan Kent’s season at the Theatre Royal Haymarket draws its inspiration from Alexandre Dumas’ La Dame Aux Camelias, a text which has long inspired different interpretations, ranging from Verdi’s La Traviata to the Baz Luhrmann movie Moulin Rouge. Here, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, with a little help from Kent, have transferred the tragic love story to Paris during the Second World War.

Ruthie Henshall’s Marguerite is used to men being infatuated with her, the latest being a powerful German officer Alexander (Hanson), but her privileged world is turned upside when she reciprocates the passion and love felt by young pianist Armand (Julian Ovenden). Such a love triangle is destined to end in tears, especially once Armand’s sister and close friends become involved in the Resistance movement.

All emotive stuff, not least in the beautifully staged final scene when Marguerite and Armand are reunited as Paris is liberated. But overall the libretto is just too predictable and cliched to properly pull the audience in.

As the lovers are thrown together for their first embrace when an explosion smashes the window behind them, the result is more Mills and Boon than sophisticated entertainment. On top of that, while Michel Legrand’s score begins well - numbers like Jazz Time and China Doll have potential - much of what remains is disappointing and packed with themes that return incessantly.

The strong ensemble works extremely hard and Henshall simply acts her socks off in the title role. Designer Paul Brown and video/projection designer Sven Ortel’s complex and stylised set design - incorporating a number of screens and revolves - also does well to evoke scenes of city life in forties Paris. But sadly none of it is enough to breathe life into what ultimately becomes an occasionally touching but relentlessly gloomy melodrama.