Immortalised by Shirley MacLaine and boasting famous tunes including Hey Big Spender and If My Friends Could See Me Now, Sweet Charity charts the problematic love life of naive New Yorker, Charity Hope Valentine. The show’s vibrant ‘60s backdrop, lively musical score and engaging characters, have the potential to be a winning formula. Unfortunately, Sweet Charity suffers from too many extraneous songs and scenes ensuring that however good the performers are, it can feel like something of a test of endurance. Despite the piece’s shortcomings, Ricky Players made a decent attempt to counter the autumn gloom with their colourful production.

Charity is tricky to pull off, as she needs not only an accomplished singer and dancer but an actress who can deliver both wisecracking humour and emotional vulnerability in equal measure. While abundantly capable of both singing and dancing, Mandi Aldridge appeared to lack the courage of her convictions when it came to submerging herself fully into the character. No such issues troubled Jevan Morris with his entertainingly over-the-top Vittorio Vidal. His cod-Italian accent was outrageous while his hammed up bedroom antics created some genuine comic moments.

Paul Skinner established his acting credentials with his startlingly unhinged portrayal of Oscar Lindquist. His quirky mannerisms and doleful expression both amused and saddened as he wrestled with his demons.

If the dearth of men lessened the impact of the big chorus numbers, the lithe ladies more than made up for it with their confident wriggling and writhing. That said, Hey Big Spender was disappointingly humdrum but Jo Press (Nickie) and Clare Gold (Helene) did much to quicken pulses with their strong vocals and attitude.

Vincent Peters