Even though you expect it to happen, you can never quite picture what it is like to actually watch it rain inside the Gaiety.

And it does rain too. Not just a splash here or there, but an actual relentless downpour, drenching the stage while Don Lockwood, played by the UK West End actor Danny Becker, skips gleefully and light-footed across the stage, in that most famous of famous dance routines.

Taylorian Productions promised that ’Singin’ in the Rain’, would not hold back on the size or scale of the show, and would recreate the musical with a real sense of spectacle and flair.

By faithfully recreating this particular scene, they accomplished that, and more.

It is quite possibly one of the most incredible routines I have seen inside the Gaiety, and one that is carried out with real skill, ingenuity and a real sense of ’who-cares-let’s-do-it’ lunacy that made this such a wonderful thing to watch.

’Singin’ in the Rain’ was a classic musical in every sense of the word, with one expertly-choreographed dance scene following another, performed with real professionalism by Danny and fellow stars Laura Pigott and Josh Barnett as Don’s friend Cosmo.

Underlying the story was the tale of the transition of the silent film industry to the age of the ’talkies’.

The star who felt the change more than anyone was Lina Lamont, portrayed hilariously by local actor Lisa Kreisky.

Lina was ’blessed’ with a thick New York accent, which allowed Lisa to play to her comic best, and her antics had the audience howling along with her.

Laura Pigott dazzled as Kathy Seldon, who teamed up with Don and the energetic Cosmo to recreate the equally-famous dance scene to ’Good Morning Good Morning’.

There is a great deal to enjoy about this lavish musical, from the large and quite stunning scenery, to the captivating dance sequences and the set-piece scene in the rain.

Even if large scale tap-dancing chorus lines are not your cup of tea, this wonderfully over-the-top production is guaranteed to plaster a smile across your face.

’Singin’ in the Rain’ is on at the Gaiety Theatre until Saturday, August 17.

by Mike Wade

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