Fosse : New Theatre, Oxford Tuesday 11th November

First things first: Fosse is not a musical. Nor is it a traditional style "revue". Fosse is a staged homage to one of the most influential and unique choreographers of the twentieth century. Performed on a nearly bare stage with only lights and their effect for the scenery, the show takes you through a selection of numbers from within Bob Fosse's repertoire, and other "transitions" performed in the appropriate style. This "style" is that of a veritable legend within the theatre, who was responsible for the distinctive dance stylings of such Broadway hits as Sweet Charity, Cabaret, Chicago (and those natty gap ads from a few years back). If you don't like dance then this is not for you, as it dominates the show, with song used to enforce it at various points. The obvious numbers are there - Hey Big Spender being a highlight in Act 1, with some interesting takes on others (a seductive styling of Me and My Shadow helps kick off the second act). My personal favourite, however, was a touching rendition of "Mr Bojangles", beautifully sung by Grady Bowman, and sensitively danced by Omar Merced and Michael James Scott.

This production is altogether good, but not excellent. The show suffers from a lack of atmosphere that is only remedied by the presence of the band on stage in the final number - a device the show could profit from, if it were employed throughout. Much of the beauty of Fosse's work is derived from the spectacle of an entire ensemble performing very precise movements in perfect unison, and this is something that the touring company often fails to achieve. Despite the ensemble comprising of exceptional individual dancers, (with Kristina Fernandez and Omar Merced standing out in particular) the ensemble numbers were a definite weakness in the show. Much more effective were the smaller group and solo dances that fell between them.

As has become custom with musical theatre in Britain, a celebrity heads up the cast, and in Fosse the chosen "star" is Claire Sweeney, of 'Brookside' and 'Celebrity Big Brother' fame. While she is perfectly adequate in her role - as a cameo singer in some of the more vocally demanding numbers - she turns in a self-conscious performance in a style reminiscent of the cruise ships that started her career, and in contrast to the overall styling of the piece. Which is a shame - with more confidence and less bravado, she really could be good.

Ultimately, this is an entertaining piece of theatre. It looks good, it sounds good, and the finale will make you leave the theatre feeling upbeat. But it won't thrill you. It seems that the magic so often associated with Bob Fosse is missing from this production.

Hanna Johnson