Review: Guys And Dolls @ Cardiff High School
When gamblers, cabaret dancers, missionaries, and Havana restaurants come together you are surely in for a night of knee-slapping and toe-tapping entertainment and such was true as Guys and Dolls rolled onto the Cardiff High stage last week.
Having been drafted in last minute as a stage hand, I was able to enjoy four evenings of first-rate music, choreography and drama without paying a penny. Admittedly my view of the stage was somewhat lacking and I did have to move some tables, but I managed to have a thoroughly fabulous time nonetheless. In my position of knowing most of the cast, who of course relied whole-heartedly on my selfless curtain opening, I cannot offer a totally unbiased evaluation of the performances but when I say that we are blessed at CHS with a real pool of talent when it comes to the arts, I speak the truth. Hence the production was deservedly met with a wonderful reception each night.
The musical, written by Frank Loesser, Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, originally opened on Broadway in 1950 and is in short a rom-com with a very catchy score. Based in 50’s New York, the story follows gambler Sky Masterson who is challenged to take a Missionary girl to Havana in a $1000 bet with Nathan Detroit, who needs the money to finance his "Oldest Established Permanent Floating Crap Game in New York".
Sky, played wonderfully by Alex Davies, manages to persuade missionary girl Sarah Brown, either Gemma Baldwin or Laura Stephen, both suitably angelic, to come to Havana by promising to fill her otherwise empty mission with sinners, i.e. his gambling buddies. In his first ever production, David Motley was outstanding as Nathan Detroit whose long term girlfriend, cabaret singer Miss Adelaide, was played by the more experienced Tania Owen, whose performance was as fabulous as ever. Detroit’s ‘side-kick’ Nicely-Nicely Johnson was hilarious, the flawless Will Gray delivering the classic Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat better than I’ve ever heard it. This was a stage full of future stars and it was an honour to watch from the wings.
The whole cast had great energy and the fact that each year group was represented is credit to director Mark Lewis whose commitment made the show what it was - truly great. David Leggett, as musical director, got the best out of all the performers as well as the wonderful orchestra.
Guys and Dolls was a triumph and I can only recommend next years’ show, which, all being well, will be West Side Story.
Bravo CHS!
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