Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (tour)
Review by David Munro
IT IS hard to believe that well over fifty years have passed since M.G.M. unleashed the musical film version of Stephen Vincent Benet’s novel The Sobbin’ Women as Seven Brides For Seven Brothers.
The film has become a classic and made a star of its leading man Howard (formerly Harold) Keel. It was therefore probably inevitable that someone would get the idea that it would be ideal as a Broadway Musical.
This flash of insight occurred in 1979, when Lawrence Kasha and David S. Landy adapted it for the stage with additional songs by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn but still retaining the majority of the original Johnny Mercer/Gene de Paul score from the film, allowing Howard Keel and Jane Powell to reprise their film roles in an off-Broadway production.
It did not reach Broadway until 1982 when the leads were played by Debbi Boone and David Carroll. It was not a resounding success and only ran for five performances. Its British premier was at York when the Theatre Royal produced it in 1984 and London had a brief glimpse of it in 1986, when it ran for 41 performances at the Old Vic with Stephen Devereaux and Roni Page.
Since then there have been various touring productions cashing in on the continuing popularity of the film. The most recent production at The Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2006 had a limited run but the tour, with its new and updated production, goes on.
If there is a Rip Van Winkle amongst you who does not know the plot I suppose I had better run through it for you. The backwoodsman Adam Pontipee (Steven Houghton) arrives in town looking for a bride. He finds one in local waitress, Milly (Susan McFadden) and takes her back to his shack where she discovers to her horror that he has six unruly, ill mannered and unkempt brothers.
Needless to say she cleans them up and educates them but when they go to town for a dance they get into a brawl and are banished. They then decide to kidnap the girls they met at the dance – which they do – but on the way back to the hills an avalanche blocks the road and the girls are cut off from their friends and families until spring. Milly takes control and by springtime the girls and boys are all paired off and it all ends happily ever after with Adam and Millie the proud parents of a baby daughter.
The show, as did the film, relies heavily on dancing and the director/choreographer Chris Hocking has created a number of energetic and exciting routines, notably in the town dance which shows his dancers off to their maximum advantage. In fact, the dancing was at a far higher standard than I have seen in earlier productions and Mr Hocking wearing his other hat as director has welded them skilfully into the plot so that the whole evening goes at a rousing pace.
Of the two leads Susan McFadden was far and away the better of the two. She has a charming singing voice and an assured acting style which made her Milly a joy to behold. Apparently she won a reality T.V. show competition for the role of Sandy in Grease which she has recently played in the West End, which comes as no surprise after you have appreciated her talent in this role.
Steven Houghton’s Adam, although well sung, lacks the braggadocio one associates with the role. At times he seems like a mild, well mannered chap overwhelmed by his family and grateful to leave it to his wife to sort matters out; his retreat to the mountains was less an act of defiance, more a cop out from his responsibilities. It was unbelievable that in reality he could ever have swept the feisty Susan McFadden off her feet. Perhaps I caught him on a bad night but this was certainly not the Adam Pontipee of the story nor that as portrayed by his predecessors in the role; come home Sam Kane – all is forgiven!
The other members of the cast enter into their roles with enthusiasm. The six brothers are well differentiated and their ensemble routines were impeccable as were those of the antagonistic townsfolk and suitors. The brides looked lovely and danced prettily making their abduction a foregone conclusion.
This is a jolly and very entertaining evening; well staged and performed and one definitely recommended to dispel recession blues.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was reviewed during its visit to New Wimbledon Theatre.
The tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers continues to Stoke, Plymouth, Milton Keynes, Swansea, Leeds, High Wycombe and Sheffield. Further dates are yet to be confirmed.