Rattle Bag

Fun for fun's sake

Cedric Neal and the cast of ‘Guys and Dolls’ performing one of the evening’s highlights, ‘Sit Down. You’re Rocking The Boat’

I went to see Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre and absolutely loved it. I’m not a big musicals person but honestly, if you have a pulse, you’ll have a great evening. Incredible cast, crackling dialogue packed with zingers (I mean it’s Damon Runyon) and some absolutely spectacular song-and-dance numbers. We sat and watched from above, although you can stand in the pit: the moving stage is surrounded by audience members (who ought to have dressed up a little more in my view). The evening is designed to feel like one big cabaret club show; there’s even some exquisite interval entertainment. As I was watching, I realised that one reason I was enjoying it so much is that while the production feels very fresh and modern, it has absolutely zero interest in politics or the zeitgeist or what’s going on in the world. It is frivolous, luxurious, unapologetic fun - an aesthetic which now feels oddly transgressive.

After the jump: why action heroes all have names that start with the same letter; a better way to think about climate change; an amazing early demo of a song you know well, and the two questions that almost everyone asks that nobody should ever ask. Plus more, more, more. If you haven’t yet taken out a paid subscription, now’s the time to try…