Guys and Dolls - Bridge Theatre

Will it extend beyond September to at least January 2024? 

They very much hope it will.

Saw this at the matinee today. It’s 4 stars for me but honestly I think the let downs are just that I don’t love G&D generally as the production is amazing. This does an amazing job and all four of the leads were brilliant in my opinion. I was standing (chose to sit for a JC and AMND) and loved it, though definitely felt like we weren’t moved around a lot. The atmosphere at the end made the aching back worth it though.

We were right behind today’s ‘participant’ and it definitely doesn’t seem to be a plant but consent looked to be there as the guy chosen was up on stage by himself and then after the scene got off the stage and joined the chap he was with and they had a little joke to each other about it. I wasn’t there when he took his seat during the interval but the fact that he was at a table with a member of the cast who patted him and thanked him after definitely gave me the impression they’d approached him and asked him to take that seat.

Loved this last night. Doesn't quite match Richard Eyre's National Theatre production but came very close.

The star of the show for me was Celinde Schoenmaker as a gorgeous Sarah Brown. And Andrew Richardson is a star in the making, reminding me of the first time I ever saw Hugh Jackman in Oklahoma. He has the same charisma but he had a tough job vocally as I can still hear Ian Charleson's beautiful rendition of I'll Know echoing round my head from 1982 every time that song is performed.

I wanted a bit more comedy from Daniel Mays and Marisha Wallace, but yet again she proved what a great vocalist she is, bringing down the house. As did Sit Down Your Rockin' the Boat last night, with three encores as Cedric Neal came into his own and the crowd yelled their delight.

I wasn't sure about the immersive element, though it was fantastic to be up close to the action. By the end, although the party atmosphere is great, I still think the production would have benefited from being more traditionally staged. It felt a bit messy at times and the show occasionally loses focus (the final wedding scene goes for nothing). Unlike Julius Caesar, where you were part of the citizens of Rome and the mob, for me, having the audience in the pit didn't really add anything to it. And at times the very strong choreography seemed a bit cramped on the small stages.

But... those quibbles aside, this is a hugely energetic and entertaining, joyous show. A very strong production of a fantastic musical and I'll definitely be going again. Four stars.

Reviews are all-out raves

Wow - just read those reviews. So glad I got tickets (cheap seated ones and not until late May) - I really had no idea this would work so well! So happy for them.

I have to imagine we’ll be getting a cast recording now, and probably a live one to try and keep the “immersive” nature of the production even through audio.

Would it stay at the Bridge if extended? I've always thought of that theatre as only having short runs of things rather than housing long runners.

I heard Nick and Nick wanted it to run for a year. If so its great for the venue but perhaps not for its theatre membership scheme

Yes, if you look at the theatre from the perspective of the band being behind you, they play out more to the band and the left side and the neon set favours this side more; that said, it is truly in the round and much of the action also took place at the top right.  I would suggest this is best viewed from Gallery 1 or 2 for the spectacle, then probably the immersion of the floor if you can hack three hours on your feet.  I'm not sure the stalls offer the best experience for this show but will find out when I go back in a week or so.

I went for the cheapest available seat for Guys and Dolls which was £15 in row C of the Gallery. Missed very little and the seat was reasonably comfortable if a bit narrow. It's VERY tight to get in or out of the row though.

Between doors A, B or C would be the best spot in my opinion.