What's New Pussycat - Review

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Fri 08 Oct 2021 - Sun 14 Nov 2021

What's New Pussycat? - Review

It's back to the swinging sixties for this romp of a musical featuring the songs of Sir Tom Jones. The team behind What's New Pussycat? had the ingenious idea of blending the 18th century novel Tom Jones by Henry Fielding with songs by the modern-day Sir Tom and have come up with a corker of a musical.



The tale is a simple one - a young couple promise to love each other forever but then misunderstandings, love triangles and other confusions threaten to separate them. It may not be a new story but it is presented with so much energy and fun here that all the audience is rooting for them.

Dominic Andersen is Tom Jones, who leaves his Somerset home for the bright lights of London to prove he is worthy of love – but he is quickly enticed by the attractions of the capital and another woman. Bronté Barbé is his faithful Mary Western, who follows him to London and discovers he has been anything but faithful and true.

The couple are given a great reflection in a secondary tale – that of Tom's former school teacher Mr Partridge (Ashley Campbell) and 'The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress' (Rebekah Hinds). While Mr Partridge is more than willing to give his heart away, he discovers that sixties women are much less willing to settle down.



There is plenty of humour in the show, not least when poor old Tom is thrown into prison and meets fellow prisoner Big Mickey. In for murder, Big Mickey (Lemuel Knights) launches into his tale of woe – depicted in a wonderfully over-the-top rendition of the hit song Delilah.

The show is packed full of well-known tracks including It's Not Unusual, Bama Lama Bama Loo, Without Love, Leave Your Hat On, Sex Bomb, and Green, Green Grass of Home but the songs never feel shoehorned in, taking the story forward rather than slowing it down.



Dame Arlene Phillips of Strictly Come Dancing fame is the choreographer and she has created some fantastic dance sequences. Janet Bird's costumes and Jon Bausor's sets bring the sixties to life with a blend of psychedelia, pop art and bold, bright colours. Directed by Luke Sheppard and written by Joe DiPietro, What's New Pussycat? is, quite simply, a great night out. It's fun, frivolous and packed full of energy. Get a ticket while you can.

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!date 08/10/2021 -- 14/11/2021
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