BABES IN ARMS
Birmingham
Hippodrome
1985
The
songs, rich, melodic, evergreens, come tripping
out and dance upon the ear. Not so the show
itself. Sadly it spends much of it’s
time simply tripping about and what dancing there
is could be overlooked - in more ways than one.
It is all such a great pity. There is so much
missing, so much that could easily be done to
inject vitality and, above all, movement into
this revival of a 30’s classic.
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As a film it launched
the famous Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney partnership.
Rodgers and Hart packed it with songs that even
to this day are show stoppers - which is a bit of
a problem when you have a show that has trouble
starting. Babes In Arms is a vintage
backstage musical which should be a celebration
of the youth. As it stands it is a celebration of
the talents of Su Pollard - and thank goodness
she is around to keep things going. She’s
marvellous. Tudor Davies, no mean name in the
business, is responsible for the choreography and
this is a puzzle. There is so little. |
Designer Terry Parsons
is imprisoned in his own backstage and director
Roger Redfarn is imprisoned in a first act that
almost stands still. But joy upon joy there are
the songs - and Su Pollard to belt out The
Lady Is A Tramp and bring down the final curtain
with arousing Johnny One Note. Thank
you Su.
Fred
Norris - Birmingham Evening Mail 17/4/85
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