Guys and a Dolls - Five Star Theatre

Not that you would know from the performances, Five Star Theatre is a youth company. This shouldn’t put anyone off, the quality of the production and the entertainment is indeed 'Five Star'.

Guys and Dolls is one of the classic musicals of the golden era. It is brimming with great songs and dance routines and has not one, but two love stories.

Nathan Detroit (Samuel Hoult) is trying to run a floating dice game, whilst attempting to hide this from his dancer/singer fiancée Adelaide (Danielle Boughey) and the police. In the process of raising the funds, he makes a bet with high roller Sky Masterson (Ciaran Dempsey) that he can’t take Salvation Army sergeant Sarah Brown (Emily Goodwin) to Havana. From there the story twists and turns proving the course of true love never runs smoothly.

Every performer on the stage is a joy to watch, the hotbox dancers are a delight with their step perfect routines. The Crapshooters dance is spectacular using most, if not all the cast, each one having a part in one of the highlights of the show. The principals all have strong voices and characterisation. Ciaran Dempsey shows Skys softer side in My Time of Day to great effect. Emily Goodwin is sublime as Sister Sarah, her singing powerful, accurate and beautiful. It is Danielle Boughey's Adelaide who steals the show.

Adelaide is a character from her voice to her attitude, each of these is shown with relish by Danielle. It is a character I can find hard to warm to, but not tonight. Another lovely moment is Arvide Abernathys number More I Cannot Wish You sung with heart and poise by Benjamin Mulley.

Commendations must go the production team who haven’t shied away from any part of this show. The dance numbers are performed in full, which isn’t always the case in amateur productions.

Choreography is wonderful with some innovative moves I haven’t seen before. Bringing comedy into what can otherwise be a weaker song (Marry The Man Today) was nothing short of genius. The music is supplied by a backing track, but the quality of this is good - for the young cast to sing accurately to a track is very impressive.

This group is superbly talented and deserve great audiences, they most certainly all have a bright future.