Theatre Review: Puttin' on the Ritz - Edinburgh Playhouse ✭✭✭
Review by Graeme Shield
Quickstepping
into the Edinburgh Playhouse this week is the UK tour “Puttin On The Ritz” – a musical celebration of the acclaimed work of George Gershwin,
Irving Berlin and Cole Porter. And to top it off, it even features Special Guest Star (and daughter of
Judy Garland), Lorna Luft.
Whether you are
an expert on the work of Gershwin, Berlin & Porter, or a newcomer to their
sweet melodies, chances are there are plenty of songs you’ll know. “Puttin’
on the Ritz” visits all the hits of Hollywood’s golden era of
the 1920s & 30s.
The show itself
is rather simpler than perhaps first expected. A live band has been overlooked
in favour of backing tracks, and the glistening sparkle of the set never really
changes.
A variety of
dynamic choreography, concoted by Emma
Rogers, was performed with oodles of style by the 16-strong ensemble of
dancers, working through classics like Anything
Goes, Let’s Face The Music and Dance
and I Got Rhythm.
Singing was
really fantastic too. Sarah Earnshaw
in particular emoted a couple of stellar solo tracks, exposing and really
portraying the truth of the lyric. Paul
Hazel was a cheeky chappie, adored by the audience and Emma Kate Nelson & Simon
Schofield’s song & tap routine to It
Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing was also a highlight.
Special Guest
Star Lorna Luft provides great value
for money, despite hardly touching any of the repertoires of Gershwin, Berlin
or Porter. Her rehearsed patter and anecdotes are affectionate, but it’s her
voice that will send shivers to those who have long listened to recordings of
her mother. Close your eyes and be amazed at how the texture and style of Luft’s
vocals invoke the memory, long after the final note of The Man That Got Away (written by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin, made
famous by Judy Garland from the movie A
Star Is Born).
Perhaps
trading on the back of Strictly Come Dancing’s revival and popularity, the
costumes contain enough sparkle to make Liberace seethe with jealousy, however
the choice to use backing tracks created a flat sound in the circle and felt
“inoffensive” to the ear, arguably a good thing considering the average age of
those in the audience – but this reviewer’s opinion is that the classics of
Berlin, Gershwin & Porter are best enjoyed by a rousing full live band –
the melodies reaching skyward, soaring loudly into the Playhouse rafters. The
impression instead is of ‘Broadway-lite’.
Interestingly,
one of the best segments of the show was when the performers veer from the main
composers’ material and visit ‘The Cotton Club of 1929’, and visit hits like Ain’t Misbehavin, Up A Lazy River and Birth of the Blues.
The show
would perhaps benefit from a better exploration or explanation of the songs and
the composers themselves, giving the audience a reminder why these songs remain
so special after nearly 90 years. Special guest Lorna Luft and the cast perform
everything impeccably however, and they make the songs come alive.
Puttin' on the Ritz is at the Edinburgh Playhouse until Saturday 20th September
Puttin' on the Ritz is at the Edinburgh Playhouse until Saturday 20th September
