Singin’ in the Rain is the ultimate expression of joie de vivre and Bird Studios’ own take on this classic will certainly leave audiences with smiles on their faces.

Gareth Daniel has the unenviable task of following in the dance steps of Gene Kelly and while he may not be able to match his 1,000 volt charisma and energy (who could?), he certainly embodies Don Lockwood’s key attribute of dignity and his long-frame brings real elegance to his tender dances with Kathy Selden.

Natasha Hubert exudes all the pluck and talent needed to convince that Kathy is an undiscovered star in the making and she sings her solos You Are My Lucky Star and Would You? beautifully.

James Darby is perfect as Lockwood’s ever chipper and cheeky pal Cosmo Brown clowning it up a treat in Make Them Laugh while Grace Riach is also excellent as the talentless diva Lina Lamont, bringing to mind another beauté terrible Vanilla Hoare from Monty Python.

As for the big numbers, the cast do remarkably well in bringing a sense of showbiz glamour to London Road with Broadway Melody, Good Morning is filled with bonhomie and the monsoon downpour for Singin’ In The Rain is impressive even if the overall routine is not quite the joyous free flowing masterpiece captured on celluloid in 1952.

Four stars