As it has been nearly 18 months since I last attended the Bridge Theatre for Guys & Dolls I was thrilled to return to check out the new cast including Gina Beck as Sarah. This production of Guys & Dolls is a wonderful production which merges the classic story with a fresh take that sees the show staged in an ingenious way.

The classic story remains the same, where Nathan Detroit in need of funds to put on his next crap game, bets Sky Masterson that he can’t get mission girl, Sarah Brown to go to Havana with him. This inevitably results in Sarah and Sky falling for each other whilst Nathan’s long suffering fiancé Adelaide try’s to convince him to finally marry her.

The whole piece has been combed over to give it a fresh feel whilst still staying true to its roots. There have been recent productions like Oklahoma which take the show in a new direction which polarised fans of the piece where as this production still keeps the heart of the show in tact, just with some new twists on it.

The most striking thing about this production of Guys & Dolls is its staging. Various parts of the Bridge’s flooring rises and falls to make up the stage meaning there are a huge amounts of various stage configurations. Part of the audience (those with standing tickets) are ushered around these moving components and get an up close view of the show. This approach forgoes the need for scene changes as they can be taking place whilst the action is occurring elsewhere and it means that the pace of this show is kept swift.

Since I last saw this production of Guys and Dolls the cast has changed considerably, all bringing their own touches to these beloved musical theatre characters. Mission Girl, Sarah is played by Gina Beck who brings Sarah to life and injects a sense of fun into a character which is often played as reserved and teetering on dull. Meanwhile Sky Masterson is played by George Ioannides who plays the role with a real swagger and a beautiful baritone tone to his voice.

The long suffering Miss Adeladie is played by Timmika Ramsay who not only gets to show off her impeccable comedy timing but oozes charisma in her Hot Box performances. Owain Arthur as Nathan Detroit bounces off Ramsey perfectly and his portrayal as a loveable rouge means you can’t help but root for them. The rest of the cast are incredibly watchable and I adored in particular watching the Hot Box girls whose individual personalities shone from the stage.

The shows set is focused on the huge neon overhead lights that denote to the audience where we are with each scene, this combined with some clever entries and exits in and out of manholes and ladders really helps the audience connect with a sense of location without the need for any huge pieces of traditional set which would simply block sight lines for the audience.

Guys & Dolls is known to be a show that has some huge ensemble numbers but Arlene Phillips with James Cousins choreography really pushed the boat out. Havana is one great example of putting a fresh spin on the show whilst not changing the plot and this number made me want to join in the party. The Crap ballet that prefaces Luck be a Lady showed the athleticism of the cast whilst immersing the audience into the world of gambling and dice rolling. By contrast the numbers at the Hot Box Club were steamier than I have seen before but was utter perfection and made me wish I could visit this club regularly! The pièce de résistance is Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The Boat performed by Nicely-Nicely who is played by Jonathan Andrew Hume. The energy in this number is infectious and Hume laps this up and when the audience are whipped into such a frenzy by it when don’t need much persuading to convince the conductor that we are keen for an encore.

Since seeing Guys & Dolls at the Bride theatre 18 months ago it has become one of my firm favourites to recommend when people ask me what should I see in London. With the passage of time nothing has changed and in fact it just served to remind me that my recommendation has been spot on. A classic show with a fresh take, complete with breath-taking dance, innovative staging and a hugely talented cast means that you need to get yourself to the Bridge Theatre, and if you have been before…..go again!

Guys & Dolls is currently booking until January 2025. To book tickets and find out more visit here.

If you like this review you might also like my review of Hadestown, Operation Mincemeat and Hello Dolly.