As Lise,the girl he falls in love with,Leanne Cope doesn’t equal his starry presence,but she dances well. Jonathan Hickey and Sam Ward as friends Adam and Henri,are outstanding in their characterisations as well as their singing and dancing. The same goes for Anne Wood as the crusty Madame Baurel and Ashleigh Rubenach as the bossy heiress,Milo.
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But the power of the piece eventually comes down to the quality of the show as a whole. The ensemble,with the women in ever-changing costumes from full-skirted frocks to showgirl sparkles,makes its way through social dances heightened for the theatre via balletic gestures here and there,to contemporary dance – though oddly the concluding “ballet”,a key element of the story,was the weakest dance point of the night.
Imaginative sets by Bob Crowley are a mix of digital and actual,swiftly moved by the cast. They are lightheartedly atmospheric as they transport the audience from Paris streets and a bird’s eye view of the Seine,complete with boats,to Bohemian bars,posh art galleries and grand apartments.
ThisAmerican in Parisis,without doubt,a delight.