Review: Sweet Charity by Theatre HB, Playhouse Theatre, Hastings

A scene from Theatre HB, Playhouse Theatre, Sweet Charity

Where: Theatre HB, Playhouse Theatre, Hastings St, Hastings.
When: November 22 to December 8, 7.30pm. Tickets at iticket.co.nz
Reviewed by: Keith Russell

Finishing Theatre Hawke's Bay's busy year is the nine times Tony nominated comedy/musical Sweet Charity that debuted on Broadway in 1966 with legendary director/choreographer Bob Fosse at the helm.

While a Broadway classic it remains an odd mixture of memorable songs with a storyline that brings hurt and humiliation along with a "no happy ending" for the leading character, a "taxi dancer" in a seedy New York dance hall.

At the heart of it all co-director Alex Richardson brings a winning performance to the central character Charity. Her voice was strong with clear projection and along with fantastic dancing she wore a brilliant smile.

Olly Jarden as Oscar her neurotic suitor was suitably nervous and full of nerdy charm and it was not until his arrival late in the first half did the production really spring into life.

Olivia Karlsson and Diana Verhaart were strong in both dance and acting as they supported their friend through her ups and downs.

Andrew Clibbon as the dance hall manager did an excellent job and he rendered a superb version of the song I Love to Cry at Weddings. Graeme Fothergill never disappoints on stage and made his character of Daddy Brubeck larger than life, while Rafly Ambadar's role as an Italian film star was worth the wait to hear his distinctive singing voice.

All the dance hall hostesses looked the part, spoke their lines clearly and moved well as they provided a living backdrop to the story. Special mention must go to Anna Lorck making her Hawke's Bay stage debut, not the strongest singing voice but excellent stage presence and she did enough to warrant a call back to a future production.

Maybe the real star of this production is co-director/choreographer Corinne Bowey who took on Bob Fosse and matched him step for step, and was not found wanting with his other signature styles.

All the big numbers such as Big Spender, Rhythm of Life and the superb dancing in Rich Man's Frug were excellent. Their energy, passion and commitment will encircle you as musical director Wendy Hunt leads a six-piece orchestra pushing the sound to the back of the theatre.

Minimal stage setting, good lighting with projected prompts for the audience to follow the story and Karyn Glew's imaginative costumes make this a production not to be missed.