Guys and Dolls, Bridge Theatre Review (2024)
Gina Beck and Timmika Ramsay in Guys and Dolls. Photo by Manuel Harlan
Written by Penny for Theatre and Tonic.
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review. All opinions are our own.
Nicholas Hytner’s production of Guys and Dolls opened at London’s Bridge Theatre in March 2023, winning much deserved acclaim from critics and audiences alike. The theatre offers two ways for you to enjoy the show – either seated across three tiers, or standing in the “pit” that makes up the performance area, moving around the set as the show progresses. The immersive experience is incredible with some lucky audience members literally drawn into the action while everybody else can still enjoy seeing the show’s talented cast up close. But standing up for three hours is not for everyone, so rest assured that if you opt to book a seat, you are still in for an exceptionally enjoyable trip to the theatre.
As the show draws to the end of its run, we have just had a cast change with Gina Beck and Michael Simkins taking over the roles of Sarah Brown and Arvide Abernathy respectively.
Stepping into the Mission Doll’s sensible shoes, Gina Beck is perfectly cast. There’s plenty of the chemistry that her love interest Sky Masterson sings about – Beck moves from sparring to spooning with George Ionnides, and their voices blend beautifully as the relationship develops. Beck has an old school soprano voice and could easily have stepped out of the original production with her soaring high notes. She plays Sarah with a calm sense of control and a commanding presence, giving even more impact to her shenanigans in Havana as she lets herself go to hilarious effect.
The part of Arvide can sometimes feel a little dull with a song that doesn’t always reach the heights of the back-to-back showstoppers that make up the other numbers, but this production makes him a fully-rounded character – from the start, we can see that he is the backbone of the Save a Soul Mission. Michael Simkins gives us a kind and caring grandfather, very moral but not judgemental and certainly no pushover. His rendition of “More I Cannot Wish You” is a lovely moment of reflection amongst the high-octane action of the show and reinforces the bond between him and his beloved granddaughter.
The new cast members fit seamlessly into this hugely talented company, their different takes on the characters are very well developed and presented. The show as a whole feels as fresh as it did at the start of the run. You only need to watch conductor Tom Brady having the time of his life leading the fabulous band to see that everybody involved is having a great time and the atmosphere is infectious.
A trip to Guys and Dolls gives you so much more than an entertaining production of a classic musical. Make sure that you get back into the auditorium before the interval ends (not as challenging as it can be in other London theatres as the layout is planned so well that the queue for the toilets moves very quickly – even for the Ladies – and there’s plenty of room at the bars to get a drink). The second act starts in the Hot Box club and while you’re getting back to your seats, there’s entertainment from the ‘Hi-Hi Boys’ (played by some of the gamblers’ alter egos, Jonathan Andrew Hume, Ryan Pidgen, Cameron Johnson and Dominic Lamb) offering close harmony arrangements of some of the show’s tunes and a brilliant tap number from Handsome Jack Fogarty (Filippo Coffano) – all hosted by club manager Good Time Charley Bernstein (a charismatic turn from Tori Scott, who in a complete contrast doubles as the formidable Salvation Army General Cartwright!). It’s a great way to draw the audience into the club before Miss Adelaide (the phenomenal Timmika Ramsay) takes to the stage with her fabulous troupe of dancers to open the act with a roof-raising “Take Back Your Mink”.
As the show enters its last few months, there is now an impressive array of merchandise on sale to help you remember this dazzling production. Whether you want the traditional souvenirs like T-shirts, mugs and fridge magnets, or something a little more niche like branded playing cards or fans, Guys and Dolls has got you covered! Feeling thirsty? Try a pint of Lady Luck lager at the bar!
The team at The Bridge does everything to make sure that your experience is a great one. There are friendly front of house staff to guide you around the venue and if you want to catch a bit of fresh air during the interval, the grinning security guards will hand you a gambling chip to redeem when you want to come back in for Act Two. Then, of course, there is the brilliant crew who wrangle the audience members who have opted to stand for the full immersive experience. Dressed as cops to blend in with the action, they guide the audience around the performance space without being remotely heavy-handed or distracting. Their final bow at the end of the show is fully deserved.
If you haven’t seen Guys and Dolls at The Bridge Theatre yet, then make it your mission to book now before it closes in January. If you have seen it, the show still feels fresh with a repeat visit and you’ll doubtlessly spot something you didn’t see last time, so one more trip to Havana is a great cure for the winter blues.
Next up at The Bridge is a new production of Richard II, once again directed by Richard Hytner, and starring Jonathan Bailey. I can’t wait to see what they do with it.
Find out more about Guys and Dolls and Richard II on the Bridge Theatre website.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
