Miss Nightingale: The Burlesque Musical

Hmmm, I’m not sure five minutes of burlesque at the end warrants the subtitle of ‘A Burlesque Musical’. However, that’s not to say this show didn’t have its merits… plenty of them in fact. The growth of Miss Nightingale (imagine George Formby in Gracie Fields’ body, bawdy innuendo led ditties) and her gay Jewish musical director George, from Northern pub singer to West End headliner during WW2, is plausible. The songs are great, the singing and playing by the multi-talented cast is superb. The plot nicely twists a bit but the interest hinges on the sub-plot of secret homosexual relationships, blackmail and anti-Semitism. Highly commendable stuff and well worth a watch!!!

Connaught Theatre, Worthing, 7 June 2013

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