Savoy Theatre, London
“You want all my love and my devotion”… As Dreamgirls is now into its second year in the West End and has recently welcomed a new cast into the Savoy, what better time to revisit this most glittering of musicals.
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I must admit to going in with something of a sceptical mindset last time around, both in trying to resist the hype and letting thoughts of ticket prices and imported US leading ladies play on my mind. But all such things aside, this really is a belter of a show, a glowing, full-throated roller-coaster of an experience.
Marisha Wallace, Moya Angela and Karen Mav now share the role for which Amber Riley has won pretty much every award going and tonight’s Effie was the delightful Wallace, a powerhouse of a presence who pretty much nails it from start to finish. Another visitor from Broadway Brennyn Lark‘s Deena is well played but I really loved Asmeret Ghebremichael‘s Lorrell, possibly becoming the brightest of the Dreams despite the way the script goes. And off the men, Joe Aaron Reid‘s Curtis remains a villainous delight.
It’s always lovely to see ensemble members be rewarded for their hard work and both Tosh Wanogho-Maud and Kimmy Edwards have made the leap, now playing Jimmy Early and Michelle Martin respectively. And the production as a whole remains as slick and shiny as it did when it first opened – with all those crystals, how could it not!
