4 STARS, May 9-13. Starring Strictly's Joanne Clifton, this is a rip roaringly fun romp through the 1920s, says Dermot Hoare
Darren Bell
Marios Nicolaides and Joanne Clifton
At the New Victoria, last night, we were treated to a thoroughly entertaining Millie. Although this successful show owes its origin to the sixties film success starring Julia Andrews, it has a slightly different emphasis; while the film tends to highlight the menacing danger for unattached young girls in New York, the show suggests why those self-same girls come to New York in the first place: To find a rich husband – as many hundreds did.
The setting is the roaring twenties and, although prohibition is in force, girls are enjoying a new freedom. From being type cast as nannies or companions to elderly relatives, they are now leaving home, gravitating to the cities, changing to wearing revealing clothes, bobbing their hair, seeking office jobs and enjoying a greater sexual freedom.
Joanne Clifton, the Strictly Come Dancing professional, plays Millie Dillmount coming to New York for just that reason - determined to marry a rich man and so, once employed, she sets her sights on her boss, Trevor Graydon, neatly played by Graham MacDuff. Sadly, to her dismay she finds he only sees her as a secretary – indeed, calling her ‘John’. Furthermore, and much to her annoyance, she finds herself pursued by an impecunious young man she has casually bumped into, one Jimmy Smith.
Taking a room in one of the many ‘girls only’ hotels, she quickly makes friends with the other girls but is unaware that the manager, Mrs Meers, is a recruiting source for the Hong Kong white slave traders - merely noting that from time to time girls apparently sign out without any previous indication. And, from that point, we follow her progress as she befriends Muzzy Van Hossmere, a New York socialite, and Miss Dorothy Brown, one of her young companions.
As one might expect with Joanne in the cast there are several exhilarating dance numbers. There is also a delightful comical scene when Trevor gets drunk having been stood up by his dinner date. Other cast members that stand out are Sam Barrett as Jimmy, Katherine Glover as Miss Dorothy Brown and Jenny Fitzpatrick as Muzzy.
If I can make a couple of comments here, I think a transvestite playing Mrs Meers failed to carry the evil malevolence the part calls for and when a board carrying translation of a foreign language is provided, in last night’s case it was too high up so one couldn’t read it and watch the antics on stage at the same time. That apart, every member of the talented cast gave the show all the support it needed and thus fully deserved the enthusiastic reception at the end.
- Thoroughly Modern Millie is showing at the New Victoria until May 13. For tickets visit atgtickets.com.
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