A Feast for the Eyes and Ears
- Hayley Smith
- May 24
- 5 min read
A theatre review by Hayley Smith
I arrived to the press night of Guys and Dolls with a press pass from MTDXB’s James Mitchinson and an opportunity to experience an experiential arts journalism initiative from Lauren Noble of Collab Company. As I stepped through the red curtain and straight into the 1940’s this past Tuesday night, my eyes went everywhere as my senses were sparked by the immersive experience that director Claire Bennett and her team had created for this audience. The stage was set. The band visible to all. The cast and crew were ready to go. Adorning the walls were posters, many of which were from Guys and Dolls productions throughout the eras and indeed the world. The actors had broken the fourth wall long ago and were handing out popcorn, offering to shine your shoes and it was within this smoky, night time vibe that the atmosphere set the scene for an audience about to enter a downtown New York of the yesteryear. It was an exuberant event and before long the audience found themselves entirely engrossed in a complicated story of underground gamblers sneaking about the stage to find a venue for the perfect game alongside a series of love matches – or mismatches – which became a comedy of relationship roulette. Who would thought that so much could come from two simple words… I bet!
Miss Adelaide (Bethanie Mitchinson) really is the clear-cut star of this show. Her absolute love and devotion to her loooooong term fiancé, Nathan Detroit (Glenn Atkinson), really does have you sympathising for a woman who would just like a man to step up! The chemistry and affection that exists between these two characters as their storyline develops with multiple twists and turns is palpable – an obvious nod to the loooooong term partnership of both performers who have worked closely together since the start of MTDXB. Miss Adelaide’s stand out moment during the show was undoubtedly her performance of Adelaide’s Lament – this song had me laughing throughout as Mitchinson’s comedic timing, overtly physicalised acting style and the cheeky use of a psychiatrist’s book hammered home the hardships such a woman suffers when planning for a wedding whilst also trying to discern the status of her relationship! Atkinson’s portrayal of Nathan had me both rolling my eyes and laughing aloud as he desperately tried to avoid tying the knot throughout the show – their complex manipulation of each other whilst both clearly knowing, loving and understanding the true person showed a depth of character that was excellently portrayed to the audience.
This adult theatre troupe has worked hard to be both inclusive and diverse in this production and I believe that with Guys and Dolls they have achieved a strong foundation for what makes community theatre tick. Their dancers ranged from professional to amateur, with a few members of the cast throwing in a truly “give it a go” move or two which was a delight to watch. I especially connected with how the dance numbers included a range of bodies and it was an absolute win to see women and men of all shapes, sizes and abilities able to take to the stage and show us that the arts – and indeed dance – belongs to everyone! It was especially refreshing to see inclusion in action where members of the cast with additional needs were given moments to shine instead of remaining out of the way of the wider action of the story as is so often the case. An additional consideration for this inclusivity in action could involve more partnered support for the use of the stairs for those members of the community who may find this more challenging than others.
The stage was really shown in all its glory during the whole cast performance of Rock the Boat led by Nicely-Nicely Johnson – otherwise known as Jack Bruce – who, whilst hilarious throughout the show with his one liners and ability to arrive on stage with a number of different snacks in hand, showed a new layer to his character in this moment of reformation contemplation. The entire cast was involved in this performance that made your heart soar and your body want to leap out of your seat to join in! I loved the fact that the band was on stage bringing us into the production of the music and seeing the music performed live which added another layer of depth to this already complex piece. And as for choreographer, Danielle Romero - she did not leave a stone unturned in this number, with performers dancing up and down the aisles and fully engaging with the audience. The movement throughout the three levels of stage spaces within the set included an almost flawless stream of props, people and scenery. It was effectively a symphony of choreographed movement where every cast member knew what they were doing and where they should be, fully engaging every member of the audience with every facet of the stage. The enjoyment flooding from the stage during the entire ensemble moments could not help but flow out into the audience who enjoyed a toe-tapping, knee-bouncing singalong whilst grinning from ear to ear.
For a show that has never been performed in the Middle East due to the cultural sensitivities of the region, I think MTDXB’s interpretation was classy with elements of sass that definitely pushed the boundaries. It was a funny and fun feast for the eyes and ears that left you with that sense of joy and wonder... and isn’t that exactly what so many of us watch musical theatre for?
With a 50% off sale happening for the final show of Guys and Dolls tonight, you need to visit TicketsLover now! For more info on MTDXB, give them a follow on socials: Instagram and Facebook.
© Written by Hayley Smith. Mentored and edited by Lauren Noble.
Collab Company's arts journalism initiative | 2025
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