You may not be aware of Jerry’s Girls but there’s a fair chance you’ll be familiar with the back catalogue of composer and lyricist Jerry Herman. He’s written the songs for a range of well-known musicals – most famously Hello, Dolly! and La Cage aux Folles – and Jerry’s Girls is a musical revue based on the biggest hits from his most famous shows.
The show has its origins in New York nightclubs in the early 1980s, but was officially commissioned as a full-scale musical revue following the success of La Cage aux Folles on Broadway. It premiered in 1984, and now 40 years later we have a revival in London, at the Menier Chocolate Factory near London Bridge. This version stars Cassidy Janson, Jessica Martin and Julie Yammanee, and is directed by Hannah Chissick.
We should note this before going any further: on press night we were advised that Cassidy Janson had sustained a foot injury during the previous night’s performance. As such, her choreography would be simplified and her costumes would be modified. A consummate professional, the show very much went ahead and if we hadn’t been warned we may not have noticed – we did spot that she wore flats when her co-stars wore heels, and that her moves were perhaps a little simpler, but only because we were looking out for changes. These modifications were barely noticeable and certainly not detrimental.
It’s a lighthearted and enjoyable show. We weren’t sure if there would be any narrative or any linking segments, or whether it would just be about the songs – it’s very much the latter. Some of the numbers are set in a backstage-style area, in the girls’ dressing room; the rest are performed on-stage with some cute choreography and a few props. One song has a move theatre style setting, while another is reminiscent of an old-fashioned office environment, complete with typewriters.
Jerry’s Girls offers an evening of easy entertainment. All three of our stars are talented singers, holding their own during their respective solo songs and demonstrating some impressive harmonies in the group numbers. It’s a brief affair, clocking in at barely 100 minutes including an interval, and there’s not a huge amount of substance to get your teeth into, but if you’re a fan of Jerry Herman’s songs then this a great way to enjoy them.
GAY TIMES gives Jerry’s Girls – 4/5
More information can be found here.
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