With a successful outing in the English countryside behind us, we decided it was time to get back into London and see a musical. London’s theatre district, known as the West End, is the largest in the world with over 100 productions going on in the city at any one time. A dizzying choice to be sure! Relying on our colleagues for advice once again, we opted for a production of Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre.

The musical was first staged in 1950 on Broadway. Based on a series of short stories by Damon Runyon, it tells the stories of gamblers and con artists of 1930s America and the eventual reformation of its lead character through the power of love. The 1955 film with Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons and Frank Sinatra was a huge success and the musical has been revived numerous times since then.

The Bridge Theatre is an innovative theatre in the round with movable floor sections on tracks and hydraulic hoists so that scene changes happen dynamically while the actors move about. The audience is invited to watch the production from the stage floor and become part of the play as various characters interact with the audience.

We had good seats from which to see the action, and Steve couldn’t resist going down to the stage floor to buy some salted pretzels being sold before the show and the audience milled about on the stage floor. This was all part of the director’s design to get the audience connected to the play and city life of the time that it portrayed.

Nicholas Hytner, former artistic director of the National Theatre, is the force behind the Bridge Theatre, and is determined to revitalize British theatre. This musical certainly was evidence of that. The energy, style, wit, and exuberance of this production was exhilarating and had us all on our feet whooping and cheering along with the final song. It was a thoroughly entertaining day and another wonderful outing to encourage our return to England.

Aug 2023