Downpour leaves a breath of fresh air

This has to be the best musical of its genre for many years and what a privilege that the show graced the stage of the Wales Millennium Centre, put simply a coup of major proportions.

The audience may have been wondering what was in store after the slightly delayed start but it wasn’t a portent of things to come. With no apparent opening night nerves on the Cardiff stage and only minor issues with the set the show had everything including, quality songs and singers, great dance routines by very accomplished dancers, slap-stick comedy and slick one-liners. 

Most of the audience would have been familiar, even the younger ones, with the film that starred Gene Kelly and the storyline that unfolded was very much the same.

The transition from silent movies to talkies was evolving and this posed a particular problem to Monumental Pictures’ leading lady Lina Lamont (Faye Tozer) and her impresario R F Simpson (Maxwell Caulfield).

For Faye Tozer to play Lina, who had a piercing and high-pitched voice completely devoid of the attributes to play a talking part let alone have the ability to sing, must have been an  unusual and particularly challenging role having been a member of the pop group Steps who sold over 20 million records worldwide. One of the leading characters who was besotted with Don her opposite number, Lina summed up her part by the one-liner ‘What's wrong with the way I talk? What's the big idea? Am I dumb or something?’

R F Simpson, the studio boss is convinced that a talking movie is the way to put Monumental Pictures back into the forefront of cinema. Don, it'll be a sensation! "Lamont and Lockwood: they talk!" However Lina’s inability to meet the challenges of talking movies proved a major frustration.

Enter stage right a trio set to hatch a plot to save the day. Don Lockwood (James Leece) is the silent movie star playing opposite Lina, Kathy Selden (Amy Ellen Richardson) is Don’s girlfriend and Stephane Anelli gets most of the laughs as Don’s best friend Cosmo Brown.

Amy Ellen Richardson has a voice that would charm the birds from the trees it would seem even in torrential downpours.

Stephane Anelli as Cosmo provided the perfect foil for Don’s sometimes less than cavalier approach. He adroitly provided a slapstick routine that was reminiscent of Eric Sykes’ and Tommy Cooper’s The Plank and some of the clown antics of Charlie Cairoli, but he was more than just a joker in the pack – his was an outstanding performance in a support role.

James Leece as Don gave a versatile performance second to none dancing, singing and acting his way through what must be one of the most challenging roles in musical theatre, even his hamming up as the dancing cavalier was well delivered. It is somewhat ironic however that his performance may be most remembered for that scene where he splashed his way through the iconic Singin' in the Rain.

With the orchestra occupying an elevated position the audience were allowed to get much closer to the stage leaving them exposed to the elements with much of the rain as it cascaded down to the stage floor reaching at least the front row with just a little help from Leece.

The only disappointment was during the interval when the squeegee operatives were employed to dry out the stage and scored nil point for artistic impression. How much more relevant it would have been if the squeegee routine had been performed to the tune of Bring Me Sunshine, apart from any connection with that well remembered and loved duo this is what this show brought to the Wales Millennium Centre. It was like a breath of fresh air.

In addition to the title song all the other favourite ones were there, including "Good Morning", "You Are My Lucky Star", "Moses Supposes", “You Were Meant for Me” and “Would You”. It was difficult to stop yourself at least humming to some them.

The dance routines were inventive and expertly delivered by one of the best ensemble casts around and the costumes were of the age and stunning in design and colour. The orchestra was polished and pitch-perfect and were a joy to listen to.

There were many parts of the whole that could have gone wrong but nothing did as the cast’s performance and its direction was first class. It was no surprise then than the audience acknowledged what a great show they had seen with a spontaneous standing ovation and rapturous applause.

Be light-hearted, all day long,
Keep me singing, happy songs,
Let your arms be as warm as the sun from up above

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Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love.

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN DELIVERED ALL THREE