Guys and Dolls - Royal Exchange Manchester

Don’t know where you live but last train out of Manc to Sheffield (as an example) in New Year’s Eve is about 11pm.

That’s not to say I’d like to be on it!

Excellent. Though why did you have to mention biscotti, after all the overwraught fluttering about Madeleines at the Bridge Theatre!

Harlem, in the Renaissance.

Saw this last night, and thought it was brilliant! I have booked for the matinee next Thursday. Great performances by all, colourful costumes, simple but effective staging, great band too. A very nice introduction to a musical I had never seen in full.

I'll be watching the film version over the Christmas period as well.

Saw this yesterday. Really good, packed full of energy and the score seemed "jazzed up" to me, which suits the material perfectly.

I saw the West End production and tour a year or two back and didn't take to it (even though I like the music). For this one, the jokes hit well and some excellent vocal performances, particularly from Ashley Zhangazha (Sky) and Lucy Vandi (Miss Adalaide).

Pretty full in the lower two levels. I think there were some seats at the back of the upper level, but I really wouldn't want to sit there. The view in the Stalls is pretty good from everywhere due to the tiered seating and the staging in the round.

A few people didn't return after the interval, which surprised me, but it is a long show and the religious subject matter could be considered controversial nowadays. One downside, I had a foot tapper near me and, due to the design of the stalls, the taps vibrate all the way down row. Thankfully, it was intermittent rather than every song.

Recommended anyway. I'd allow 20 minutes for a fast walk from Piccadilly Station, plus another 5 minutes to dodge around the Manchester crowds this time of year. Then 5 to 10 minutes in the station itself, depending which side of the station the platform is on. This finished about 10:20pm yesterday, including an additional call for donations at the end.

I do like Guys and Dolls but it is a long show

They could cut that whole Cuba scene out for me, and it would be better for it. 

It may involve a little work and/or getting up early, but I think you can book £10 seats on the day.

The dayseats are the banquettes at the front. 

Thoroughly enjoyed this production, the matinee on 30th December was just about full. I thought it was a good take on this musical, but not all of the ideas worked, the Cuba scene (I didn’t think the fluorescent costumes looked too good) and Miss Adelaide’s nightclub scenes , which fell a little flat somehow. That’s the direction, and no criticism of Lucy Vandi as Miss Adelaide, a terrific performance, with great comic timing, and superb singing, one of the best performances. Maybe I’m spoiled with memories of Julia McKenzie in this role. The set was good and interesting to look at without being too busy. I loved the jazzy Salvation Army band , and the wonderful comedy of this show came across very well.

Enjoyed the show tonight without being blown away. Strong leads for the two guys and I like Adelaide although I would have preferred a bit more scatty/naive. Sarah Brown was the weakest of the four vocally.

The Havana scene was hugely pared back compared with the last tour/WE production where it went on forever (vanity project for Carlos Acosta maybe). Much snappier this time and better for it. Also no reprise of Sit Down despite a big reception from the audience.

A solid three stars from me.

Audience demographic was only very slightly different from the usual REM. crowd. 99.5% white instead of the usual 99.9% white.