From the Guys to the Dolls, the cast of MMPS’s production of Loesser’s much loved musical comes up trumps. Set in the underbelly of New York City, we are introduced to the world of Nathan Detroit (Jonathan Goldstone), a gambler desperately seeking a new location for an important game, and his fiancée, Miss Adelaide (Lauren Brown), a burlesque dancer suffering from both a very long engagement (14 years) and a cold. Desperately trying to turn these ‘sinners’ from their bad ways is the charming head of the local Salvation Army unit Sarah Brown (Laura Makhoul). She herself becomes the victim of a bet of a more romantic nature between Detroit and the handsome Sky Masterson (Jack Needham but think Marlon Brando).

As the city lights shone on a Broadway sign above the stage, Lauren Brown did full justice to Miss Adelaide. She and her dancing dolls entranced the audience with lively singing and slick burlesque choreography courtesy of Maddie Wong. Her acting was such that her sneezes left this reviewer wondering if the cast should be stocking up on Lemsip. The guys were not to be outshone by the dolls as they too danced the night away to well-sung show tunes that reached a pinnacle in “Luck Be a Lady”.   

Lighting and effects were well executed to portray the glamour of the Broadway shows and the murkiness of the gambling dens. The balance of the sound, however, was sometimes an issue. It was difficult to hear some of the singing, especially that of Sarah Brown and Sky Masterson, above the fantastic band. 

Many of lines were excellently delivered and drew no shortage of laughs from the audience. This was especially true of Adelaide and Detroit whose lines can’t help but remind the audience of the impending Valentine’s Day. “I kinda like it when you forget to give me presents. It makes me feel like we're married.” Whether you are looking for a Valentine’s Day present or not, tickets to this show will be sure to provide you with a great evening of all-singing, all-dancing entertainment.

Guys and Dolls runs at the Cripps Auditorium, Magdalene College, until Saturday the 14th of February.