@ Edinburgh Playhouse, until Sat 21 Nov 2015

Ever since its first appearance on Broadway in 1974, Jerry Herman‘s Mack and Mabel has met mixed responses from critics and public. While receiving eight Tony Award nominations, it was dubbed “a fair performance” and ran for eight weeks only. After numerous attempts at reviving it since then, it seems that Chichester Festival Theatre‘s ambitious production, currently touring the UK, might be the best attempt to bring the story accolades and true recognition.

Set between 1911-1938 in the legendary Keystone Studios, the musical opens with the silent movie-maker Mack Sennett, who is reminiscing about his lost love, Mabel Normand, the temperamental deli girl turned star of his two-reel comedies, and the days when Movies Were Movies. In a series of flashbacks, Sennett recalls their turbulent romance ended with Normand‘s death, set against the creation of his legendary Bathing Beauties and the Keystone Cops. Director Jonathan Church‘s interpretation is a lavishingly, visually superb tribute to the glorious era of Hollywood filmmaking, making an effective application of today’s technological advances.

In spite of Francine Pascal‘s slightly optimistic revision of Michael Stewart‘s book, Sennett and Normand’s story is still an unhappy and sombre one, which does not seem to fit that well with the traditional light-heartedness inherent to musicals. Sure, it stays with you long after exiting the theatre. It could have gained more though, had the emotional tension between the two been elaborated upon. Instead, their dramatic love seems scamped at moments, with Mabel‘s fall and tragic life ending only hurriedly noted. Maybe, despite the opulence of Church’s rendition, the book would suit better a film musical?

Speaking of renditions, the performances are beyond reproach. With his bright stage presence and powerful singing, the production’s star Michael Ball immaculately captures the despotic, egocentric nature of Sennett, hidden behind his blind ambition to Make the World Laugh. Broadway’s rising star Rebecca LaChance is equally enchanting as Normand, convincingly depicting her transition from a young and innocent starlet into a film celebrity who does not acquiesce with low-brow comedies and being anything less than a lead in someone’s heart.

Musically, Mack and Mabel is far from universally likeable. The songs boast some noteable lyrics, but their melody is hard to reproduce in one‘s head. With their jazzy sound, they might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but are compelling in their echoing of the spirit of the era. Altogether, the show is exceptionally stylish, with impressive choreography by Stephen Mear and glamorous costumes and set design by Robert Jones. The latter is also responsible for the witty and heavily cinematographic  visualisations, especially of a train whooshing in the night, or of Sennett walking behind half-transparent film screens.

All in all, it is a slick and elegant spectacle worth watching for its wonderful lead performances and cinematic beauty, despite the evident flaws in the book.

Read our interview with star Michael Ball