Wow.

Talk about a terrific night at the theatre. 42nd Street, which opened at the King's on Tuesday, is all-singing, all-dancing, all-wisecracking proof you don't need special effects and wizardry to make magic. A stage stuffed with top-notch dancers tapping in unison to the dramatic climax of the show-stopping 42nd Street number is every bit as thrilling as a flying car or an abseiling nanny.

The 42nd Street show is based on the glorious, still exhilarating, 1933 film of the same name, a film that is not only the grand-daddy of the Hollywood musical, but also the original "backstage" story, and one which didn't shy away from the grim realities of the Great Depression of the late 1920s. It ticks every box, from sparkling, one-liner-laden script to unforgettable songs by Harry Warren and Al Dubin (some from subsequent films).

Just as the film was very much an ensemble piece, so is this show. Marti Webb may be the big name but she's not the star – the chorus line of 14 "dames" is what you remember. It was a joy to see the homages to the iconic Busby Berkeley dance routines from the string of films he made at Warners. Some, such as the Shadow Waltz, in which Webb seemed to be wrestling with the shadows, were tongue-in-cheek. Others, such as We're In the Money and Shuffle off to Buffalo, were wonderfully authentic and great fun.

For I'm Young and Healthy a mirror was lowered and suspended at an angle so the audience could see the Berkeley-esque aerial view of the geometric formations being made by the dancers. It's good, old-fashioned Hollywood glamour come to life. Catch it while you can.

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