Gotta Sing Gotta Dance, Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, until August 25, 01323 412000 (From The Argus)

Gotta Sing Gotta Dance, Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, until August 25, 01323 412000

3:31pm Friday 10th August 2012 in The Critic By Tony Flood

More than 60 numbers from 45 musicals and movies are featured in the new production of Gotta Sing Gotta Dance.

It is an excellent follow-up to the success of last year’s show of the same name, and was well received by a packed audience at Devonshire Park Theatre on Tuesday (Aug 7).

The highlight is a tribute to Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, with Simon Adkins and David McMullan performing superb song and dance routines to Top Hat, S’wonderful, Cheek To Cheek, Me And My Gal, and Singin’ In the Rain.

Adkins and McMullan also excel in the America versus Britain section, particularly with 42nd Street and Lambeth Walk, while Alison Dormer gives a superb rendition of If.

A talented, hard-working cast is completed by Lowri Walton and old favourites Rebecca Lisewski and Adam Scown, who somehow find the energy to cram a host of hits into a whistlestop tour of the West End in less than four minutes.

With director Chris Jordan, musical director Robert Cousins, choreographer Nick Winston and sound designer Clement Rawling once again at the helm, this extravaganza has a winning format.

A few of the song choices could be better. For example, why does the show start with Dancing Fool, the only number chosen from Copacabana, and why is Stars the sole song from Les Miserables?

But we are treated to many showstoppers and some slices of humour, with a dummy taking the role of Mother Superior in How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria.