Let's cut quickly to the chase.
The current revival of Cole Porter's 1930's Anything Goes at the Barbican is absolutely wonderful.
The problem with reviewing this production is an inability to truly capture just how joyous the collective response was for those of us packing the auditorium (at last no social distancing).
My last visit here, pre-lockdown, was for the Open Air Theatre's production of Jesus Christ Superstar and that was a theatrically disturbing and deeply moving experience.
https://www.allwaystraveller.com/continents/europe/jesus-christ-superstor-at-the-barbican-london
Anything Goes, in complete contrast, is carefree in the extreme and utterly entrancing.
The plot, as with many of the finest musicals of its era, is lightweight.
It is there justify staging and offer some semblance of context for the song, dance and comedy routines that rotate from start to finish.
On board the SS American, during its voyage from New York to London, we have Billy who is stowing away to be near Hope, who is reluctantly engaged to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh.
Also on the ship are sassy nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and 'Moonface' Martin who is less than pleased at being merely Public Enemy Number 13.
And off we go!
The rousing applause that greeted the opening strains of the musicals overture released the frustration of so many months without live theatre.
From then on we cheered, laughed uproariously and gave several genuinely deserved standing ovations.
More than other theatres, the Barbican allows real rapport between performers and audience and it soon becomes obvious the cast were as happy to be back as we were.
While there are no low points to Anything Goes, there are very many highs.
You're the Top from Reno and Billy and The Gipsy in Me with Reno and Lord Evelyn are delightfully quirky and deliciously funny routines.
The full cast song and dance routine in the ship's nightclub that opens Act II is just stunning.
And Anything Goes itself, which brings down the curtain on Act I, also brought the house down as one would expect it to do.
My one regret is that the grand finale ended just too quickly. How we all wanted more.
Anything Goes really is an 'all-star' ensemble production with the 50 strong company, including full live orchestra, all essential to the dazzling whole.
That said, Sutton Foster mesmerises as Reno from the moment she wows us with I get a kick out of you (and really kick starts the evening).
Samuel Edwards pitches his Billy perfectly and Carly Mercedes Dyer contributes sassy cameos throughout until Buddie, Beware, near to the end of Act II, which she nails.
And, Robert Lindsey is achingly funny as Moonface and works us with utter glee.
His Friendship routine with Sutton is yet another show stopper in an evening chock full of them.
I am a real sucker for the big pre-war American musicals and this production of Anything Goes is as big, and as bright and as bountiful as it gets.
Needless to say, I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Anything Goes runs at the Barbican, London, until 31 October 2021.
www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2021/event/anything-goes
The Barbican
The Barbican Centre is Europe's largest performing arts centre.
In addition to its theatre performances, it hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, film screenings and art exhibitions.
