The Sunny Side of The Street at Jermyn Street Theatre

The Sunny Side of The Street at Jermyn Street Theatre

22 June, 2012
by: Dommattos

Classily done with humour and imagination, Tim McArthur's revue of Dorothy Fields' songs works but the concept doesn't always deliver. 

There is something irksome about leaving a revue entitled 'The Sunny Side of the Street’ and stepping into the driving rain of midsummer night. That said, this classily put together revue manages to keep the sun shining for most of the evening.  

It takes as its subject matter the lyrics of Dorothy Fields, best known for Sweet Charity and countless popular songs, including her breakthrough number, ‘I Can’t Give You Anything But Love’. The songs are delivered by a cast of five West-End leading ladies in a fittingly female tribute to a lyricist who was almost unique in being a female player in male-dominated game.

Director and deviser Tim McArthur stages the piece with imagination and humour, taking the bold decision to step away from standard revue formats to build a story around the singers, who he casts as the employees and customers of a hair salon. This is difficult to pull off, especially as the piece eschews dialogue in favour of being fully sung-through. Whilst some numbers drive the concept forward (notably a magnificent ‘I Love to Cry at Weddings’ led by Sarah Milligan) others don’t quite land. Rosemary Ashe is wonderful in ‘He Had Refinement’ but the Americanisms in the song do not suit the setting. 

The second half starts well, with Ashe providing a show-stopping rendition of ‘A Lady Needs a Change’. As things progress, however, we are given number-after-number in rapid succession. These are superbly performed (in particular Helen Hobson’s ‘April Fooled Me’), but there is little to link the songs together. Shona White sings the hell out of ‘Make the Man Love Me’, but it is a strange diversion from her character’s otherwise breezily optimistic story.

As essential as the quality of the performers, the success of The Sunny Side of The Street lies in whether the lyrics can be truthful within the scenario. When they are, the show really flies. Leanne Jones – well at home next to the hairspray – gives us a mournful take on the 30s classic ‘Lovely to Look At’, turning it into a modern torch song. Similarly, when Jones leads the company in a bang-up-to-date reworking of the 20s hit ‘Doing the New Low Down’ even this musical history purist couldn’t help but be won over. It is testament to Fields’ lyrics, and Sarah Travis’ inventive arrangements, that these classic songs feel as fresh and relevant as they do. 

At the very end of the show we are treated to simple, company singing, by a luxury cast. Indeed, the Jermyn Street Theatre and producer Penny Horner must be congratulated on giving us two Olivier-award-winners and a Tony-award winner in such a tiny space. It is this simple and intimate singing that gives us the ‘take home’ element of the evening, and where the real stars – Fields’ remarkable lyrics – can truly shine.


The Sunny Side of The Street runs at Jermyn Street Theatre until 7th July. 


Image: Jane Milligan, Shona White, Helen Hobson, Leanne Jones and Rosemary Ashe by Polly Hancock


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Dommattos