Happy Days The Musical

And happy days indeed. This new confection based on the popular TV series is as light and fluffy as a choux bun and almost as delicious. The company give it their all and the new songs penned by Paul Williams are a charming take on the period. The set is great too, easily shifting scene with very funny banquette seating choreography. In a great cast the stand out performances come from Scott Waugh who captures the easy cheesy charm of Richie, Sam Robinson who in numerous roles uses his stunning voice to great effect and Cheryl Baker who is the living embodiment of Marion and vocally blows all the rest off the stage. Ben Freeman is good as the Fonz but perhaps too cool and lacking in the original’s flawed toughness. It apes the whole genre well but therein lies the flaw. Happy Days seldom had a good plot and nor does this, but forget that and enjoy it for what it is.

Theatre Royal Brighton, 21 January 2014

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