42nd Street at Sadler’s Wells

Flawless chorus girls in sparkling dresses, glitzy and elaborate set designs, impressive dance sequences (Nicole-Lily Baisden, who plays Peggy Sawyer, can spin like no other) and splendidly authentic 1930s American accents create a very professional, sleek and entertaining adaptation of 42^nd Street. Designed as an escapist vacation that leads us out of real life into an all-singing, all-dancing, cheerful alternative reality, the production is an ode to the theatre that lifts the veil to reveal an idealised process of putting on a show. It’s a lot of fun to watch, but may feel empty in an age where we are increasingly turning from fantasy.

It’s the 1930s and the USA is in the midst of a crippling economic depression, which is highlighted in the opening scenes. Black-and-white footage of New York skylines, breadlines and protests is paired with the ever-enthusiastic chorus honing their craft, despite there being nothing to perform in. Julian Marsh (Adam Garcia), an A Chorus Line-type director who is himself struggling in the economic climate, decides to put on a show called Pretty Lady. In order to finance it, he is forced to employ the once great but past-her-prime Dorothy Brock (Ruthie Henshall), who cannot dance, but whose sugar daddy is paying for the whole production. Fresh off the bus from Pennsylvania, aspiring star Peggy Sawyer arrives late to the auditions, bumps into the director and in an act of fate snags a part in the chorus. When Dorothy breaks her leg and is no longer able to perform, the young Peggy is pushed into the limelight – but can she handle the heat?

Robert Jones’s costumes and stage design are fantastic, from the shimmering chorus girl dresses and sequinned gowns, with draping jewelled arms and shiny gloves, to the cute little rehearsal shorts and shirts, complete with curly bobbed hair. The juxtaposition of where the dancers are rehearsing (a dim, dark warehouse) with the stage (featuring stairs adorned in lights and ornate flowery backdrops) perhaps speaks to this idea of fantasy. 42^nd Street is a show within a show, complete with its own curtain drop. This is nicely illustrated at the end of act one when Adam Garcia addresses us directly, as if we are the audience for Pretty Lady, raising the house lights and offering a refund as Dorothy Brock has become incapacitated. 

What do people hear when they think of musicals? Probably something that sounds a lot like the songs in 42^nd Street, many of which have an All I Do Is Dream of You from Singin’ in the Rain vibe. They’re catchy and fun, but not necessarily memorable or innovative. The exception is 42^nd Street, which encapsulates this love letter to New York City, the theatre and the melting pot that was the street itself at the time of writing, where the underworld can meet the elite. Act II Finale (Julian) adds a sense of authentic love and appreciation for the stage, with a really convincing portrayal of someone who has been in this world for so long and is still falling in love with it all over again. Dames/Keep Young and Beautiful is an interesting song to hear in 2023, and one can imagine it might ruffle more than a few feathers, but whether it’s satire or a genuine reflection on a part of the performing world that is unchanged, it can be seen through the lens of its time without being analysed too much. 

This is an enjoyable, polished and visually stunning celebration of the theatre and what it can give to an audience. In 2023 we have become used to shows that go beyond the sparkles and incorporate human emotion and character development, and thus this return to escapism could feel a little hollow. 42^nd Street is excellent in what it does, but we have perhaps reached an age where that isn’t enough. 

Sophia Moss
Photo: Johan Persson

42^nd Street is at Sadler’s Wells from 15^th June until 2^nd July 2023. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.