From trying to impress his boss, J.B. Biggley, to outdoing Bud Frump, nephew of the aforementioned executive, Finch's Machiavellian approach to business makes him the brightest star in the corporate machine that is the World Wide Wicket Company by the end of Act 1.
The production feels like a slap in the face – the costumes, the show tunes (notably, Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm), the kitschy choreography – all reinforce the notion that the Pulitzer-winning encapsulation of 1961 feels modern. Viewers still find themselves rooting for Finch, thanks to the comedic timings and natural ease of leading man Marc Pickering, whose charismatic embodiment of the character upstages the problematic script.
Matthew Whitby, Nuwan Hugh Perera, Geri Allen, Maisey Bawden, Matthew Whitby, Lizzie Hills, Richard Emerson, How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Photo: Darren Bell.
Indeed, the whole cast manages to inject their characters with such shocking energy it's hard not to have a good time watching them: J.B. Biggley, played by Andrew C. Wadsworth, could outdo even Alec Baldwin in terms of channeling Trumpesque stupidity. Matthew Whitby maintains a vivacious, hilarious demeanour in his portrayal of Mr Bratt for the full three hours.
The venue, Wilton's Music Hall, is the oldest surviving music hall in the world and reinforces the idea that this is a play out of time. How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying presents the audience with an uncomfortable reality: not much has changed. The show ends on a joke about a barely qualified businessman becoming President of the United States – the final nail in the satirical coffin that is director Benji Sperring's interpretation of Frank Loesser's musical.
What | How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Wilton's Music Hall review |
Where | Wilton's Music Hall, 1 Graces Alley, London, E1 8JB | MAP |
Nearest tube | Aldgate East (underground) |
When |
08 Apr 17 – 22 Apr 17, 7:30 PM – 10:15 PM |
Price | £15 - £29 |
Website | Click here for tickets and more info |