Like its fairground setting, Carousel is vivid, lively and brash.
Darren Day stars as the bad-boy barker Billy Bigelow in this full-scale production at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, this week (moving to the Southampton's Mayflower Theatre from September 26-30).
From the choreographed overture, The Carousel Waltz, the scene is colourfully set for this whimsical tale of an unlikely romantic coupling in turn-of-the-century America.
More downbeat than most Rodgers and Hammerstein concoctions, it nevertheless contains some memorable melodies.
You'll Never Walk Alone is probably the most enduring but its sombre setting sits a touch uneasily with modern audiences accustomed to the pre-match carousing of Liverpool football fans.
June busted out all over at full pelt although the female chorus is a screech on the shrill side and the sound system has its patchy moments.
The dancing is energetic and entertaining, thanks in no small part to the choreography of Wayne Sleep and the ballet sequence featuring Veerle Casteleyn and Tom Dwyer is deserving of the appreciative applause.
Falling for the doomed Billy is Julie (Sophie Caton). But by far the most melodious pairing is that of Miss Pipperidge (Gemma Wardle) and her Mr Snow (John Berlyne).
Darren Day is very aware of his appeal to a certain section of the audience and cuts a dash but his vocal range is taxed in If I Loved You and his long notes are oddly curtailed.
Breath control is no problem however for John Berlyne whose cameo of the gauche but ambitious Enoch Snow is appealing.
Billy's soliloquy (My Boy Bill) is Day's best number and he turns in a moving performance to bring down the curtain on the first act.
Musically it's a fast-paced production, but some of the dialogue begs for a touch more zip.
The testosterone factor is amply catered for in the figure of Sam Kane of Brookside fame who imbues no-good sailor Jigger with a dangerous allure.
Local interest is stimulated by the appearance of former Elmhurst Ballet School pupil Tom Dwyer and dancer Lewis Butler, who has appeared at Farnborough's Prince Regent Theatre and teaches at the Guildford School of Acting.
Its plot may not take you to the gates of heaven but Carousel's tunes still have that old whistle-along appeal.
Sandy Baker