Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Apollo Theatre

Seven Brides for Seven brothers started life as a Hollywood movie in the 1950s. The current touring production borrows heavily from the style of the film, and is none the worse for that. The plot centres around the efforts of the Pontipee family, seven brothers, to find wives for themselves. Adam Pontipee (Sam Kane) marries the feisty Milly (Shona Lindsey) and it is she who sets out to put the lives of the backwoods Pontipees into order.
Kane is a likeable, though not always sparkling, leading man whose TV appearances in the likes of Brookside and Coronation Street belie a strong singing voice, but for me the real star of the show is Shona Lindsey. Her performance was an utter delight and she has a great voice, which was perfectly showcased in the song 'Love Never Goes Away'. The supporting cast was youthful and energetic with a particularly exuberant turn by Joe Smith as the youngest brother Gideon, and the choreography was strong throughout.
With colourful costumes, great scenery and a fantastic score Seven Brides really is a great night out for the family, and will make a good step up for youngsters who have outgrown pantomime. So, if you like your musicals big, bold, brash and bright this is the one for you.

Dave Wootton 30/10/01