Theatre Review: A standing ovation for the immersive Guys & Dolls revival

On the first night, I saw the punters being continually “kettled” into position by staff dressed as police officers. At one point a soda fountain was used to soak quite a few of them and one young chap ended up with his head buried in the bosom of one of the performers…

When I entered the auditorium and looked out at the members of the audience wandering aimlessly about the stage, with a few of the actors in full costume among them, I wondered how on earth it was going to work. I needn’t have fretted. Hytner, and his set designer Bunny Christie, know exactly what they are doing.

Various parts of the stage are raised up at various points to enable the actors to perform upon them. The configurations are continually changing so don’t, as I say, expect to remain in one place if you have not paid for a seat.

It all sounds a bit chaotic but it actually works a treat. This is true immersive and innovative theatre. The use of all this human collateral really does make it feel like it’s crowded downtown New York. There isn’t really much of a plot – it all revolves around illegal crap games and a group of Bible-bashers from Save-A-Soul Mission – but I can understand why Hytner decided to pull out all the stops.

Frank Loesser, Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows’s musical has always been seen as a cut above the rest. Indeed, Laurence Olivier, when he was in charge of the National Theatre in 1970, raised eyebrows when he announced he was going to stage a production of it on his hallowed stage with himself playing the pivotal role of Nathan Detroit.

Sadly, Olivier’s ill health meant that he never got to star in the show, but Hytner – himself a former boss of the National – seems possessed by his great predecessor in the daring way he directs.

I missed his first crack at the show a year ago but it’s given Arlene Phillips still more time to think through her hugely complex choreography and there is a new Nathan Detroit in Owain Arthur. The God-fearing Sarah Brown is rather wonderfully played by Celinde Schoenmaker. George Ioannides – who appeared in the original – is Sky Masterson.

All are on great form but it was Niall Buggy as a sincere old man of God who probably wins the acting honours trying to save Miss Brown’s soul against all odds. Thoroughly recommended, but recognise that you take your lives into your hands if you elect to stand on the stage.