Review: ANYTHING GOES, Barbican Centre - July 2022
Photo credit: Marc Brenner
If you enter any tube or train station in or around London today, you’ll most likely see a poster for Anything Goes at the Barbican. A press quote from last year’s production dominates these posters: “SHOW OF THE YEAR”. One year on and with some new names within the cast, does Anything Goes continue to live up to this statement?
It is a resounding yes. This production of Anything Goes makes for a joyous night at the theatre that is sure to satisfy the needs of any audience member. It has it all; dance, music, comedy, beautiful costumes, slick choreographed direction, fabulous lighting and staging, and a fantastic live orchestra. New and old audiences will not be disappointed with Anything Goes in 2022.
Filling the (tap) shoes of Sutton Foster was never going to be an easy job but Kerry Ellis portrays Reno Sweeney with effortless charm and endearing confidence. Making her the leading lady she is, Ellis is best known for her singing and acting capabilities, having previously been seen in roles including Elphaba in Wicked, Fantine in Les Miserables, Nancy in Oliver!, and Grizabella in Cats, so she also surprises and delights with her superb dance ability. Those weighing up whether a revisit from last year is worth it should consider so for Ellis’ triple threat performance alone.
Other newcomers and entertainment old hands, Denis Lawson, Simon Callow and Bonnie Langford are very welcome additions in their roles as Moonface Martin, Elisha Whitney and Evangeline Harcourt respectively. Langford delivers the Bonnie Langford performance audiences know and love showcasing her strong acting skills, and Lawson and Callow are memorable with well established characters.
Returning leads Samuel Edwards (Billy Crocker), Carly Mercedes Dyer (Erma), Haydn Oakley (Lord Evelyn Oakleigh) and Nicole-Lily Baisden (Hope Harcourt) have each solidified the roles as their own in a way that one would struggle to imagine anyone else encapsulating those characters quite so well. Dyer and Oakley particularly are spectacularly good whereby every line they deliver is scene stealing and achieves a very pleasing audience reception. Since their performances from last year have been immortalised on film and broadcast in cinemas and on the BBC, it is wonderful to see how they continue to bring the same energy in roles that watching the show on stage and screen you could be seeing them perform these parts for the first time. This is a testament to their performances and Kathleen Marshall’s snappy direction.
Very few shows are lucky enough to have two musical numbers that fill an audience with immense pleasure, but Anything Goes manages this on four occasions. Closing Act One with the title number is a tap extravaganza with Ellis at its core, never once appearing phased by singing and dancing exertions. If that’s not enough, Act Two opens with Ellis and full company performing ‘Blow, Gabriel, Blow’ in a huge number that transports audiences as though watching a classic MGM movie musical in real life. Later in the second act, audiences are treated to two more flawless numbers as Carly Mercedes Dyer ravishes audiences with her solo ‘Buddie, Beware’, and Haydn Oakley is hysterical and almost steals the show with ‘The Gypsy in Me’.
Anything Goes makes a very welcome return to London cementing itself as one of the top shows to see this summer. This full out musical oozes joy and provides anything you could want from a trip to the theatre. Set sail to the Barbican to enjoy a stunning production with a full house of must see performances in a show that is oh so easy to love.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Cat Hancock
Anything Goes continues to play at the Barbican until 3 September, with tickets available here.