Reel-To-Real: The Movies Musical

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This show supposedly boasts one of the world’s six projectors of its size, however the visual result is little short of spectacular. A jaw-dropping opening number, ‘New York, New York’, creates a dazzling set with its projected, dynamic cityscape. Strong routines and performances top it off – this astonishing start will have your juices flowing.

But as the show carries on, and two siblings race around the world in a bid to win their inheritance, the plot—or lack thereof—does considerable damage to what is aurally and visually radiant. A limp script is rammed with musical in-jokes which seem lost on a largely unamused audience. Impressive choreography and ensemble routines, combined with a most creative ways of merging film projection with the action on stage, are sloppily tacked onto a vague and insincere plot.

Even so, the show is undoubtedly a joy to watch. The costumes—over 200, apparently—and sets are vibrant, and the numbers are all beautifully constructed. There are moments of sheer brilliance: Jeremy Benton’s dabble with Gene Kelly in ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ is purely delightful, and the Marilyn Monroe-like bombshell Vanessa Sonon could not have possibly performed ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’ with more pizzazz.

The problem is the show's "shove in as much as possible" approach. The production was reportedly prepared to drop several numbers as they feared they wouldn’t obtain the necessary rights; turns out they did, and nothing was dropped, much to the detriment of the overall show.