I saw (intake of breath) ‘You Won’t Succeed On Broadway If You Don’t Have Any Jews,’ on Friday 28th August. The concept of the show is simple – it is a review show which goes from the 1930’s to present day showcasing songs from musicals by Jewish composers.

If you love your musical theatre then this is the review show for you – it features shows including, The Wizard Of Oz, Guys & Dolls, Cabaret, Godspell, Fame, Rent, Hairspray and sooooo many more (28 in total!!). The song choices were brilliant – some great up tempo numbers as well as some slower melodies. I also liked that they did not always choose the obvious songs by the composer, for example – when you say Schwartz and many would expect a Wicked song, I loved that instead we were treated to a ballad from Godspell. For some reason I have never particularly taken to Fiddler on the Roof as a show but surprisingly for me one of my highlights of the show was the company number ‘Tradition,’ as it summed up the feeling from the 1st act so well.

The show was also very informative, at the end of each decade we were treated to a VT which explained what happened to Broadway over the next decade and the impact Jewish songwriters had on it – and wow I did not realise how many of the Broadway greats were Jewish – in fact it appears easier to list the composers that aren’t!!

The cast were also very impressive. There were a few standout performances for me. Of course John Barr shined (as always) and his rendition of Be Our Guest just oozed character. I also loved Sophie Evan’s in the show, especially her rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I wasn’t sure about Lloyd Daniels, as at times he seemed a bit out of his depth although he really came into his own with ‘Caught In The Storm’ from Smash, a song which I adore!! Some of the singers also seemed to struggle with some of the movement/dance required in a few places. The dancers however were spot on, turning their skills to everything from a tender ballet to a full on 1980’s jazz routine. In particular I could not take my eyes off Sophia McAvoy and Carrie Willis – their over-splits -phew!!!!

This is a perfect show for a musical theatre lover that wants their fix. Despite some of the more serious overtones that the VT presented us the show didn’t have much substance – did this matter though?? Not to me! Go expecting a enjoyable night filled with musical theatre froth and fun.

The show is on until the 5th September. Tickets and further information here.