Singin' in the Rain, the classic toe-tapping musical that gave bad weather a good name, returns to Milton Keynes Theatre this coming week, writes Georgina Butler.
Hailed a success at Chichester Festival Theatre and critically acclaimed in the West End, Jonathan Church's production is forecast to bring all the spirit of the beloved Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film to venues nationwide on its current UK tour.
The show will shower theatregoers in Milton Keynes with charming comedy routines, glorious songs and high-energy dance numbers from Monday (April 11), for one week only. There is a hundred percent chance of both sunny entertainment and rain – the spectacular staging means audience members at the front of the stalls should expect to get a bit wet!
Singin' in the Rain is regularly voted the most popular film musical of all time. This is not surprising as the 1952 movie boasts a satisfying splash of golden-age Hollywood glamour, plus charismatic Gene Kelly dancing up a storm.
The story follows matinee idol Don Lockwood and his co-star Lina Lamont as they navigate the monumental transition from silent pictures to the new "talkies". Audiences are losing interest in soundless melodrama so the actors will need to start speaking. And singing!
While everyone struggles to adapt, feelings of jealousy, romance and ambition fuel a love affair that could make or break careers. One thing is certain: nothing will ever be the same again for Don, Lina and talented chorus girl Kathy Selden.
The unforgettable songs include 'Good Morning', 'Make 'em Laugh', 'Moses Supposes' and, of course, 'Singin' in the Rain'.
Leading the cast of Singin' in the Rain at Milton Keynes Theatre are Faye Tozer as Lina Lamont, Sam Lips as Don Lockwood, Charlotte Gooch as Kathy Selden and Ross McLaren as Don's slapstick sidekick Cosmo Brown.
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Faye Tozer is best known for being a member of chart-topping pop group Steps and, more recently, a finalist on Strictly Coming Dancing. Her theatre credits include Miss Hedge in the West End production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain at Sadler's Wells last summer.
Sam Lips' Broadway credits include Cats and Chicago. His UK credits include Strictly Ballroom and Singin' in the Rain at Sadler's Wells.
Charlotte Gooch's theatre credits include Strictly Ballroom and Top Hat in the West End, Dirty Dancing (UK Tour and West End) and Singin' in the Rain at Sadler's Wells.
Ross McLaren's theatre credits include Sleepless, BIG The Musical and White Christmas.
The iconic rain scene uses six thousand litres of water, which is equivalent to five tonnes (the approximate weight of eleven grand pianos). This water is heated to the optimal temperature of thirty-seven degrees, for the performers' comfort. Once the number is over, the water takes fifteen minutes to drain. All the water is recovered so that it can be cleaned and used again!
Singin' in the Rain is at Milton Keynes Theatre from Monday 11 to Saturday 16 April.
Georgina Butler is an editor, a dance writer and a ballet teacher. Visit https://georginabutler.co.uk and follow her on Twitter @GeorginaLButler and Instagram @glbdancewriter
