The Stage

Sweet Charity

Published Thursday 3 December 2009 at 11:40 by Lisa Martland

Directors working at the Menier Chocolate Factory have a knack of successfully presenting large-scale musicals in what is a pretty intimate setting. Matthew White knows the venue well - his production of Little Shop of Horrors back in 2006 transferred to the West End - but time will tell whether his latest endeavour will reap the same rewards.

Tamzin Outhwaite in Sweet Charity at the Menier Chocolate Factory Photo: Catherine Ashmore

On a positive note, White stages this musical theatre classic with pace and flair, delicately balancing its humour and pathos. He also demonstrates a welcome respect for the quality of Neil Simon, Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields’ work, as well as of course Bob Fosse’s original concept, direction and choreography.

On this occasion, the latter is in the safe hands of Stephen Mear who pays homage to Fosse’s distinctive moves, while adding his own style to the proceedings. Despite the confines of space, this leads to some high-energy highlights, not least in The Rich Man’s Frug (danced by the dazzling Ebony Molina) and Rhythm of Life.

There are also some great performances, with Josefina Gabrielle and Tiffany Graves shining as Charity’s best friends, while Mark Umbers, in both guises as movie star and love interest, threatens to steal the show with his brilliant comic timing.

What is lacking though is the wow factor so evident in recent Menier musical productions. In the title role Tamzin Outhwaite by no means gives a poor performance - in fact she acts, sings and dances her heart out to a high standard - but still some of the fault for this ultimately lies with her. For a part such as Charity, which requires a performer to rarely leave the stage throughout, buckets of charisma and stage presence are vital. If this does not translate to audiences as Outhwaite grows into the role, White may not be packing for the West End again quite yet.