I don’t know how they organised it, but it was literally pouring down on the press night for Singin’ In The Rain at Bristol Hippodrome. Not that anybody who got soaked on their way to the show had to worry too much about drying off as there was plenty more rain to come inside the auditorium, especially for those ticketholders brave enough to sit in the first couple of rows of the stalls.
And, yes, it really does hammer it down on stage for the title number, as huge sprinklers are turned on and water is kicked and splashed by the cast. If you have tickets for rows A and B, you may still want to wear waterproofs even if it’s not raining outside.
Apparently they use 6,000 litres of water per performance and it’s heated to 37 degrees to make it more pleasant for the performers. After the show, it’s drained, recycled and cleaned for the next performance.
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Based on the classic Hollywood musical with Gene Kelly, Singin’ In The Rain is the story of the golden age of film in the 1920s when silent movies became ‘talkies’. The only problem for the bosses at Monumental Pictures is that silver screen starlet Lina Lamont (played here with great comic timing by Jenny Gayner) has a squeaky New York accent and a singing voice like a strangulated cat.
To make things worse, her voice has to be dubbed by her rival Kathy Selden (a fabulous performance by Strictly Ballroom star Charlotte Gooch), who has also fallen in love with Lamont’s leading man Don Lockwood, played here by handsome Broadway and West End star Sam Lips, recreating the iconic Gene Kelly role.
For many in the audience, it’s Kevin Clifton (as Cosmo Brown) who’s the main draw. The five time finalist, and one time champion in Strictly Come Dancing, certainly has his fans and his wonderful slapstick routine in Make ‘Em Laugh was a stand-out number.
As well as being brilliant dancers and singers, Sam Lips and Charlotte Gooch have obvious chemistry as Don and Kathy, especially on You Were Meant For Me. Veteran actress Sandra Dickinson - who, ironically, made her name in the 1970s with squeaky-voiced roles similar to that of Lina Lamont - makes a welcome return to the stage as Dora Bailey.
This energetic production has a large ensemble and tight choreography from the outset. The first half is 90 minutes long but it never drags and the audience is rewarded with two belters - Good Morning and Singin’ In The Rain - just before the interval.
This is a polished and high-energy revival of a Hollywood classic. Just remember to take your brolly.
Singin’ in the Rain is at Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday May 21, for tickets call 0844 8713012.
