Half a Sixpence - Noël Coward Theatre

'Two half sixpences joined together make one...'

This was one of the most energetic things I've ever seen. Charlie Stemp must have the stamina of an Olympic athlete. I hope he is a naturally hyper, exuberant, jolly person because otherwise playing Arthur Kipps in this production must take a superhuman amount of effort. I admit I find the idea of someone with a melancholic disposition playing such a relentlessly ebullient, physically demanding role darkly amusing.

Set in 1911, Half a Sixpence is a rags to riches to rags back to some degree of riches tale, featuring irrepressible banjo-playing apprentice tailor Arthur Kipps, who unexpectedly inherits a fortune, finds it difficult to fit into upper class society and has romantic misadventures with two women at opposite ends of the social scale. It's funny, feel-good and very, very jolly, with elaborate sets, great dance numbers and banjo-playing.

Most of the songs in this production were original to the first musical, but there were several new songs and some of the original songs didn't feature, for example, 'All in the cause of economy', which I remember enjoying in the school production I saw many moons ago. However, the new songs were excellent, especially 'Pick out a simple tune', which was WONDERFUL! My traditional Half a Sixpence favourite, 'Flash, bang wallop', entertaining as it was, was surpassed by 'Pick out a simple tune'. It wasn't just the song, it was the dancing during the song that made it so good; upper class people loosening up and playing the spoons and someone swinging on the chandelier.

The more minor characters were given proper personalities, which I liked. My favourite character was Sid Pornick (Alex Hope), one of the apprentices, because I liked his idealistic socialism and his hat. I was delighted when the woman he planned to marry turned out to be a suffragette. Regarding a main character, I felt sorry for Helen Walsingham (Emma Williams) at the end - I vaguely remember feeling the same way when I first saw this musical. She gets a rough deal that I'm not convinced she deserves. Still - it's 1911 - in three years' time all their lives will be turned upside down, and maybe Helen will get to do satisfying war work...

The only slightly negative thing I have to say about this production of Half a Sixpence is that it bears the unmistakable hallmark of Julian Fellowes' authorship: lack of subtlety. For example, the scene at Lady Punnet's musical evening, in which Kipps says outright at least once that he doesn't want to be there - it would have been more realistic for his discomfort to have revealed itself through facial expressions and movements rather than stating to her Ladyship's face that he's hating her social event. Kipps is working-class; he doesn't have Asperger's Syndrome.

Lack of subtlety aside, this is the perfect show to see if you're looking for a potent shot of jollity and merriment.

photo credit: woody1778a GREAT BRITAIN, VICTORIA 1892 ---SIXPENCE a via photopin (license)

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