Review of Singin' In The Rain at Milton Keynes Theatre

The iconic musical Singin’ in the Rain has gone down in history as one of the greatest musicals, and perhaps even those who have never seen the show will be very familiar with that one scene, the title track, because of both the film itself and for non-musical fans, that all-time classic Morecambe & Wise parody sketch of it.

Now 70 years, almost to the day, of that film's debut, this new stage version, first performed in March 2022 at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, reaches Milton Keynes Theatre on a national tour.

Set in the 1920s, Singin’ in the Rain tells the story of movie celebrity couple Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont and the film company they work for, Monumental Pictures, battle to get into the newly emerging “talkies motion picture”, despite the technical issues and Lamont’s unique voice. When Lockwood meets fellow actor Kathy Selden in a chance encounter, he becomes smitten and needs to find her again.

Leading the cast as Don Lockwood, and in the iconic role made famous by Gene Kelly in the film, is Sam Lips, and he is an incredible presence on stage. Rarely seen on the UK stage, US actor Lips is an absolute treat, oozing the required charm of the Hollywoodland movie star and a tremendously accomplished dancer and singer to boot. His performance in that one particular scene under gallons of water is a visual treat that shows the true quality of this production.

Charlotte Gooch who plays Kathy Selden is equally amazing and provides both a sharp tongue in her initial meeting with Lockwood, but follows the full path to falling for his charms in a lovely manner. Gooch’s credits show she is quite a stage talent and in her singing and dancing, and with her dazzling smile, she lights up the stage.

Stealing many of the scenes however is Ross McLaren as Lockwood’s friend Cosmo Brown. He is a delight on stage and an amazing performer and brings much of the humour to the show. Beyond the obvious Singin’ in the Rain sequence from Lips, McLaren provides the other, truly incredible showstopper, with his Make ‘Em Laugh routine. Immense skill and comedy perfection create probably the best scene of the evening.

Much of the publicity around Singin’ in the Rain is about the addition to the cast of Steps performer Faye Tozer as Lina Lamont, and for once celebrity casting isn’t just an effort to bring in the audience, as she is brilliant and extremely funny in the role. Curiously for a known singer in the cast, she only really gets the one main number, What’s Wrong with Me? but she performs it superbly in character.

Beyond the main four, there is a tremendous depth in the cast of this production, with a brilliant ensemble bringing Andrew Wright’s big and flashy choreography to the stage, making the show razzle and dazzle at all times.

There is a brilliant turn from Alastair Crosswell as the dialect coach who lights up the delightful Moses Supposes routine alongside Lips and McLaren. I enjoyed Michael Matus as film director Roscoe Dexter, particular in his constant aggravation of movie producer RF Simpson (Dale Rapley) and his constant acceptance of Cosmo Brown’s more outlandish ideas. Finally, it was good to see Sandra Dickinson as the enthusiastic radio announcer Dora Bailey.

Director Jonathan Church has created an excellent show, which despite quite a long-running time, the first act is 85 minutes, literally whips through with no signs of dragging. Without question, this brilliant show is the perfect tribute to the 70th anniversary of Singin’ in the Rain itself and should be seen as it tours throughout the UK in 2022.

This show is no shower!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday 12th April 2022 at the Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes.

Singin' in the Rain runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 16th April 2022.

For further details about Milton Keynes see their website at http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

For details of the UK tour of Singin' in the Rain, visit the website at https://singinintherainshow.com/uk-tour/

Singin' in the Rain is a MICHAEL HARRISON, JONATHAN CHURCH, THE CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE and STAGE ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION

Production photos: Johan Persson

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