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The Review - THEATRE by SAM JONES
Published: 3 May 2007

Few showstoppers for the toe-tappers

MUSICAL: ON THE TOWN
English National Opera

COMPOSER Leonard Bernstein originally conceived what became On the Town as the Broadway musical playlet Fancy Free.
As it grew into this particular topsy, little wonder theatre impresario George Abbott cut the thing to ribbons at its inception.
For while displaying all the orchestral panache that would later make West Side Story such a classic, it lacks West Side’s tunes and discipline and, as a result, pales next to the film version of On the Town conceived by that master of the Hollywood crowd-pleaser Gene Kelly.
Let’s face it, Gene Kelly is a hard act to follow even for director Jude Kelly.
However from the moment the show opens and a rickety model battleship creaks its way across the stage like an old slipper on an invisible string (presumably the sailors’ boat coming into New York harbour) one senses trouble.
The plot is flimsy. Three sailors in 1944 get 24 hours shore leave and meet three very different girls of their dreams before setting off again for war. For the film Kelly dispensed with all but three of Bernstein’s songs, with the composer refusing to be associated with the end product.
Apart from the three well known tunes there are very few showstoppers. Bernstein uses a rather self-indulgent dissonance so singing along is difficult. The dance action can become quite rambling) with too many bodies on stage doing too many different things. Also the plot does one few favours and it is up to the lead characters to really shine in their roles.
Regrettably an imbalance is immediately created by the highly polished presence of June Whitfield. The veteran actress who found TV fame in sitcom Terry and June is quite a revelation as the drunken singing teacher. Her accent is spot on and her portrayal witty and accomplished. She is quite a long way above her co-players and one is desperate for her to come on to relieve the monochrome.
Caroline O’Connor’s dominatrix cab driver is also very good as is Ryan Molly as sailor Ozzie, remarkably making his ENO debut. I also enjoyed Rodney Clarke’s stirring bass, used liberally throughout I’m happy to say.
Only the orchestra fully justify their largesse with surging Bernsteinesque passages. Kelly explains in the programme notes that exploring Bernstein’s opulent music through dance allowed for depth but, regrettably, this with some meandering choreography occasionally slowed the action rendering the whole rudderless.
One concedes that a setting such as ENO should allow for the more operatic On the Town of Bernstein’s oeuvre. It is, indeed, interesting but not that exciting.
0870 145 0200
Until May 28

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