Theatre Review: Thoroughly Modern Millie: A Country girl heads for the bright lights and glamour of New York City.
Thoroughly Modern Millie review by Katey Thompson at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking.
The musical Thoroughly Modern Millie was originally written for Julie Andrews to star in, is set in the roaring twenties during the prohibition era. Millie (Joanne Clifton) is a small town Kansas girl who travels to New York in order to discover everything that the Big Apple has to offer.
Millie’s arrival in New York and her enthusiasm for life is not dented by being mugged in street for her belongings. A chance meeting causes her to check into a woman’s only hotel where the story unfolds. Joanne Clifton is a vibrant, enthusiastic Millie keen to take life by the horns. She puts in a very entertaining performance which was greatly enjoyed by the audience. Mrs Meers, the hotel concierge, was brilliantly depicted by Lucas Rush. The comic timing that Lucas Rush displayed was thoroughly entertaining as he spoke / communicated via subtitles with the talented brothers Ching Hu (Bobby Windeback) and Bun Foo (Andy Yau).
Millie sets her sights on marrying her boss, someone she has never met as her job is non-existent. Millie believes that being modern means that you don’t need to be in love to marry Mr Right, hence she avoids the attention of Jimmy (Sam Barrett) in favour of chasing her boss at ‘Sincere Trust’ Mr Trever Gaydon (Graham McDuff). Mr Gaydon is mesmerised by her friend Miss Dorothy (Katherine Glover) who is an uptown girl wanting to experience a down town world and arranges to have dinner with her. When Mr Gaydon is stood up for the date and is seen by Millie and Jimmy Smith (Sam Barret) ‘singing’ for clientele in the club, a hilarious drunken scene ensues which had the cast and audience in peals of laughter.
The set was quickly transformed from a hotel to an office, jail or speak easy joint. The dance styles were very varied including the Charleston and tap dancing. The dresses and costumes were beautiful and kept changing with each scene which added to the opulence and the feeling that you were watching a West End show. The comic timing of the cast was excellent and made this show a must see for families and friends alike.
Thoroughly Modern Millie is running at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking until 13th May 2017.
