By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHEN?: Sunday 19 May, opens 22 May and runs through 29 June 2024 RUNTIME: 110 minutes (with 15-minute interval)

Janson (pictured centre) played to more than a thousand people each night in musicals & Juliet (Shaftesbury Avenue) for which she won the Best Supporting Actress Olivier Award, and Beautiful at the Aldwych and here she plays tribute to the work of composer/lyricist Jerry Herman with hits from shows including Hello Dolly! and La Cage Aux Folles in a far more intimate setting.

• Read on for reasons including how this is the perfect introduction to Hello Dolly!

This is the perfect introduction to Dolly! in particular which opens starring Imelda Staunton (Talking Heads, Bridge Theatre) at the London Palladium a week after this revue closes in July.

Directed by Hannah Chissick, Jerry’s Girls 1st played on Broadway in 1985 and includes well-known songs from Herman musicals including Mame, Mack and Mabel and Dear World.

This revival opens with Janson alongside fellow cast members Jessica Martin and Julie Yammanee backstage in front of make-up mirrors contemplating I Am What I Am which remind of the production of Funny Girl starring Sheridan Smith we saw debut here back at the Menier in 2015.

It’s a celebration of Herman’s work that reminds of the monsta-winning Sondheim’s Old Friends which was so lovingly and memorably created in London’s West End last year at the Gielgud Theatre making it’s way to Broadway in 2025.

The cast includes Jessica Martin who has a lot of fun with comedy number Take It All Off and Julie Yammanee who draws on her youth as strength in That’s How Young I Feel from Mame.

We’re sitting in the front row and can hear an older couple take the opportunity to lock lips during Kiss Her Now from Dear World.

With a 7-strong onstage band, choreography by Oliver Award winner Matt Cole and Tony Award winner Sarah Travis looking after musical supervision and arrangements, this is perfect Sunday matinee material for us.

Janson’s The Best Of Times from La Cage reminds us of the power and joy of musical theatre and Imelda Staunton even gets a shout out as a Jerry girl towards the show’s close for this perfect introduction to the work of Jerry Herman.

• Main picture via Facebook courtesy Menier Chocolate Factory Tickets
• Have you seen a Cassidy Janson show before and what did you think of this 1? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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