Pick a musical. Any musical. The chances are, the composer
was Jewish. No, really.
Monty Python may have coined the phrase for their musical Spamalot, but You Won’t Succeed On Broadway If You Don’t Have Any Jews only
proves the truth behind the joke. The show, arriving in London after
performances in Tel Aviv, is both history lesson and entertainment.
Beginning with the 1930s and composing brothers George &
Ira Gershwin, the cast take us on a tour – revue style – through the annals of
musical theatre history, right up to present day. Along the way there are songs
from some of Broadway’s biggest hits: Oklahoma,
Guys and Dolls, Cabaret, Les Misérables, Rent, Hairspray and, of course, Fiddler on the Roof. Each decade is
introduced by voiceover and projected animation, providing an interesting (if a
little patronising) dash of education alongside the music.
The cast comprises names big and small, including West End
star Sarah Earnshaw; the first British Fantine in Les Mis Jackie Marks; Sophie Evans of BBC series ‘Over The Rainbow’
fame; and Lloyd Daniels who recently swapped (minor) ‘X Factor’ fame for Joseph’s
famous coloured coat. The twelve strong singing cast are joined by six dancers
who add some welcome visual interest.
As with this form of revue show, there are a few
inconsistencies, wobbles and odd directorial decisions. For instance,
Sophie Evans gives a graceful rendition of (what else?) “Over The Rainbow” that’s
almost ruined by distracting interpretive dance; David Albury croons “Summertime”
with a smooth tone but too many pop riffs; and Yiftach Mizrahi runs out of
steam alongside the dancers in “Luck Be A Lady”.
More often than not, though, the risks are successful –
Danny Lane, in particular, offers a stunning turn singing “Everything’s Coming
Up Roses”, a song usually performed by a woman. And after the exuberant Act One
finale of “Tradition” from Fiddler on the
Roof, the second act is a much stronger affair – clearly the cast are more
comfortable with modern material: from full company numbers such as “Be Our Guest”
from Beauty and the Beast and “One
Night Only” from Dreamgirls (sung
brilliantly by Earnshaw), to smaller ensemble numbers “Four Jews in a Room”
from March of the Falsettos and “Getting
Married Today” from Company (again,
stolen by Earnshaw), to an emotional revisiting of “I Dreamed a Dream” by
Jackie Marks that’s later toppled by Rebecca Wicking’s heart-wrenching “Papa
Can You Hear Me?” from Yentel. As a
whole, the cast are superb and a joy to watch, ensuring this is an entertaining
evening of song, dance and fun.
If there’s one major flaw, though, it’s the glaring and
somewhat offensive omission of Leonard Bernstein (who’s only passingly
mentioned in relation to Sondheim) and Marvin Hamlisch (whose score for A Chorus Line also receives a mere passing
mention). I can only assume this is for some sort of legal reason as no musical
history lesson - Jewish or otherwise - is complete without them.
4/5
Watch: You Won’t Succeed
On Broadway… runs at the St James Theatre until 5th September.
Photos: Pamela Raith
