Me & My Girl (Birmingham)

When Stephen Fry and Mike Ockrent re-wrote the book of {Me and My
Girl::L877494889}, no one could have predicted the huge success it would become.

It premiered at Leicester Haymarket Theatre in 1985, starring Robert
Lindsay as cockney Bill Snibson and a young Emma Thompson as his girl
Sally Smith. The show broke all box office records, and transferred to the Adelphi in
London for eight years, going onto Broadway and winning numerous awards.

With music by Noel Gay and lyrics by Arthur Rose, songs including “The
Lambeth Walk”, “Leaning on a Lampost” and “The Sun Has Got His Hat On”
became classics of the musical theatre repertoire.

But now the show is back, this time directed and choreographed by Tim
Flavin, prior to a planned West End revival courtesy of producer Charles Vance. So how does it measure up to its internationally successful predecessor?
Well, like leading character Bill, who suddenly finds himself heir to a
fortune, it’s a bit of a poor relation.

The sets are two-dimensional and cheap, some of the costumes are the actors’
own clothes, and the show could really do with an extra 10 performers in the
ensemble to fill the stage, which at the Birmingham Alexandra is not exactly
vast.

Hal Fowler puts in a lot of effort as Bill, handling the songs
brilliantly, the comedy well and the dancing less so. Louise English‘s
Sally is pleasant but lacks the spirit the role demands, although she works
well with Fowler and makes the character a likeable enough lass.

It’s Joan Savage and Gerald Harper who steal the show as Sir John Tremayne
and the Duchess Maria, both seasoned performers who carry off their roles
with aplomb.

This {Me and My
Girl::L877494889} needs a lot more money putting into it, new sets and a larger cast if
it’s to meet the standards of the West End musical audience. And for a
long-awaited revival of such a successful and popular show, that’s just a
shame.

– Elizabeth Ferrie