Sutton Foster
The London revival of Anything Goes, which began previews July 23 and opened last night at the Barbican Centre, has received universal praise from critics, and its limited engagement, which was to have ended October 10, has already been extended through October 31. The show is led by Sutton Foster, reprising her Tony-winning performance as Reno Sweeney, and features Samuel Edwards (Billy), Robert Lindsay (Moonface), Nicole-Lily Baisden (Hope), Haydn Oakley (Sir Evelyn), Carly Mercedes Dyer (Erma), Gary Wilmot (Elisha Whitney), and Felicity Kendal (Mrs. Harcourt). Kathleen Marshall directs and choreographs the Timothy Crouse and John Weidman revision of this 1934 Cole Porter classic. The creative team also includes Stephen Ridley (musical direction), Derek McLane (sets), Jon Morrell (costumes), Hugh Vanstone (lights), Jonathan Deans (sound), and Michael Gibson (orchestrations).
British Theatre (Douglas Mayo): It was as though Christmas had arrived early. Foster was an absolute delight as she powered through some of the greatest musical comedy numbers ever written. … Samuel Edwards as Billy Crocker was a knockout as the lovelorn suitor. In a sampler of what was to come “You’re the Top” … showed audiences that this leading man was someone we should be looking out for in future. … Don’t miss out. It’s left me “Delirious” and wanting another voyage. 5 out of 5 stars
Evening Standard (Nick Curtis): The whole thing is a confection, and hopelessly old-fashioned of course. … But perhaps Strictly and retro Netflix dramas are a gateway drug for the young to old-school glamour. … The junior leads, the ship’s captain, and even the two Chinese steerage passengers get pleasing moments in the sun. But the best songs and the biggest moments belong to Reno Sweeney, and Foster knocks them dead. A magnificent London debut. 4 out of 5 stars
Guardian (Lyndsey Winship): This 1934 show is Depression-era escapism fit for post-Covid times. … The main thing to know is there’s Sutton Foster. … Everyone else is better when they’re on stage with her. … A show full of jokes just on the right side of lame – or just the wrong side but you laugh anyway – by the end, Anything Goes revels in how ridiculous it is, and the audience does too. This is one to get drunk on, hangover-free. 5 out of 5 stars
Telegraph (Marianka Swain): I would give it six stars if I could. … This Anything Goes doesn’t just charm. … It has a restorative effect that takes you beyond being an appreciative audience member: it makes you feel kinder towards your fellow man. It cures the soul. And hallelujah! … There are some resonant elements, like panting celebrity worship and a bleak backdrop (sub the Great Depression for Covid), but really this is escapism of the highest order. All aboard! 5 out of 5 stars
Time Out London (Andrzej Lukowski): You couldn’t ask for a more pleasurable way to ease back into notional normality than with this gloriously daft romcom about some horny people on a boat. … Imported Broadway star Sutton Foster effortlessly steals every scene as Reno with a devastating mix of raw talent. … All in all, Marshall’s revival of Anything Goes mirrors the cruise it depicts: it doesn’t really go anywhere, but the journey is utterly ravishing and your crew is out of this world. 4 out of 5 stars
Times of London (Clive Davis): It’s the musical equivalent of sipping one glass of champagne after another. The songs and the dialogue are so stylish that, by the time the evening comes to an end, you simply want it to start all over again. Kathleen Marshall’s revival of Cole Porter’s vintage show comes at just the right time. A musical that delighted audiences during the Great Depression returns to cheer us up as we emerge from the rigors of lockdown. … This is one occasion when the Barbican’s grim concrete ramparts cannot dampen your spirits. 5 out of 5 stars
What’s On Stage (Alex Wood): Foster returns to the role of Sweeney with the same wildfire energy that won her a Tony Award. … Robert Lindsay was clearly born to play gangster Moonface Martin. … A stand-out turn also comes from Carly Mercedes Dyer as Moonface’s partner-in-crime Erma. Samuel Edwards drives the show as the earnest Billy Crocker, generating a believable romance with Nicole-Lily Baisden’s Hope Harcourt. … Coming out of the gloominess of the last 16 months, there might not be a better musical to see than Anything Goes. 5 out of 5 stars