|
Kadmes Theatre
Anything You Can Do
(devised and directed by Martin Berry)
A review by Alan Taylor for EXTRA! EXTRA!
Anything You Can Do is cabaret revue of different musical theatre songs with anything from Annie Grab Your Gun to Disney thrown into the mix. Constructed around a torrid love story, Anything You Can Do follows the typical tale of a man and a woman in love singing songs of romance and pain. It’s hard to know which perspective to take on this piece- is it musical theatre, or is it a musical review? By the third song, you probably won’t care as your heart seems to melt in the right places along with awkward silences making you laugh in all the right places. The mix between comedy and theatricality is well executed, and although the storyline may seem tenuous at times, the pitch perfect singing and sentiment carry it through. It may be to do with Martin Berry’s (actor/ director) authentic passion for musical theatre that comes across but his and Amy Saunder’s pitch perfect repertoire and comic timing make an excellent vehicle for the review. Musical director Sarah Bodalbhai provides excellent accompaniment with diligent piano skills. Berry’s almost awkward gangliness juxtaposes with Saunders very feminine charm. Highlights from the set come in the form of “Unexpected Song” from the musical Song and Dance, really tugging at the heart strings and the comical “Tear Jerk” from I love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. The finale provides the biggest laughs with “If You Hadn’t But You Did” from Two On The Aisle with Saunders really living up the, “When I caught you with Kate/ you had not said, “It’s of no signif!”/ I’m gonna miss you baby and I could get specif/ Ah, what’s the diff!” All in all Anything You Can Do is good, simple fun that will appeal to fans of musical theatre who like to ring in the big numbers with a big voice. Ethel Merman fans, those who sing ‘Colours of the Wind’ from Pocahontas with no sense of irony (and 100% feeling) and those who like some good old fashioned fun will love this show.
Anything You Can Do is playing until the 24th August
EXTRA!XTRA! www
Copyright © EXTRA! EXTRA All rights reserved
|
