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Nothing, in my opinion, is as joyful as seeing a musical live on stage. Post-Covid, I think the stage has a magic about it we all once took for granted. Was this made all the better by the tap-dancing sailors? I’d be lying if I said no.
The music, the theatre, the glitz, and glamour. It’s for all these reasons, I was thrilled to get a sneak peek of a major new production of Cole Porter and P. G. Wodehouse’s classic musical, Anything Goes in London recently.
I’d forgotten as we sat down to dinner and the lights dimmed ahead of the opening number, how many of the songs I knew, from You’re The Top to Baddie Beware, the titular Anything Goes and I Get A Kick Out of You – the latter song especially beautifully by the incredible Kerry Ellis (of Wicked).
The singing, sailors, the tap-dancing – it was heavenly and I can’t remember the last time I was sad for the evening to end.
The musical will almost literally sail into Dublin from Wednesday 18th May – to Saturday 28th May 2022 and everyone gathered to get a preview of the enchanting production, hosted for the evening by two of its formidable stars Olivier Award Winner Simon Callow (of Four Weddings & a Funeral!) playing Elisha Whitney and the brilliant Bonnie Langford as Evangeline Harcourt.
They are joined by Kerry Ellis as Reno Sweeney and Olivier Award Winner Denis Lawson (who sadly wasn’t there on the night) and Samuel Edwards and Carly Mercedes Dyer rounded off a perfect star cast.
The premise of the show is this: Set on the S.S American two unlikely pairs set off on the course to find true love. And naturally, their journey proves that sometimes you might need a little help from a crew of singing and dancing sailors (yes, who tap dance).
The great Simon Callow revealed a little more about the history of the show on the night:
“Cole Porter composed and wrote his own lyrics. Anything Goes was his biggest hit up to that time, he was already 43 and the show was put together by the producer who decided on an unusual procedure to hire the cast before the creative team. In fact, he lied to the book writers, P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton and other actors, that he had got the great Ethel Merman. Only when they’d all signed on, did he actually approach Merman,” he said.
Such is the strength of the music and choreography, I’m itching to see the production in full at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. Even out of its natural sea setting, you couldn’t help but feel uplifted with what is surely a perfect (albeit windswept) antidote to the pandemic.
Don’t miss out, this is a show you’ll want to see this summer.
Anything Goes is directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall, and tickets from €21.00 are on sale now