You would be forgiven for not knowing The Baker’s Wife – although there are some big names behind it, the show never made it to Broadway and only enjoyed a brief West End run back in 1989, closing after 56 performances – it didn’t sell well, despite positive reviews. With music by Stephen Schwarz (Wicked, Prince of Egypt) and book by Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof), it’s now enjoying a revival in London, in a cute-as-a-pie new production at the Menier Chocolate Factory, directed by Gordon Greenberg.
We’ll say this right away – this is a show from the 1980s, with a story adapted from a film from the 1930s, so if you’re looking for something cutting edge or progressive, you’re in the wrong place. Everything feels very traditional, and some of the attitudes towards gender roles seem dated. A handful of lines would have benefited from some sensitive updating – we did feel a little awkward watching a few moments, which was a shame.
For the most part, however, the show succeeds. It has some great songs, an early highlight being a delightfully silly (and brilliantly choreographed) ensemble number with the villagers professing their love for the new baker’s goods.
In the lead roles we have Clive Rowe as the baker and Lucie Jones as his much younger wife, both of whom are excellent: Rowe is brilliantly optimistic as the baker, playing the doting husband perfectly; while Jones is afforded numerous opportunities to showcase her vocal prowess, as she does with moving ballad ‘Meadowlark’. Joaquin Pedro Valdes succeeds in what is quite a tricky role as a young lover trying to woo the baker’s wife – his character, Dominique, is quite creepy, intense and frankly unlikeable, but he plays the part well nonetheless.
The supporting cast is strong, too: set in a small French village, there’s a real community feel to proceedings, and we learn a bit about each character and the role they play – we see bickering couples, family grudges and more besides. There’s even an opportunity to be immersed in the show, with a small amount of cabaret-style seating available, allowing a select few audience members to sit in the village’s cafe while the action unfolds around them.
We enjoyed our evening with The Baker’s Wife – while it is somewhat dated, and it does have a few problematic lines which would have benefited from some revisions, it’s also a quaint and charming musical with some great songs and fantastic performances. It’s playing at the Menier Chocolate Factory until 14 September.
GAY TIMES gives The Baker’s Wife – 4/5
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