THE McMillan Theatre played host to Bridgwater Operatic Society's production of 42nd Street this past week.

42nd Street comes from a line of musicals that emerged initially as Hollywood films, in this case a 1933 Warner Brothers production, and then transferred to the stage.

From the very first opening sequence as the curtain half rises to reveal dozens of tapping feet you sense that it’s the choreography, staged by Shelley Smith, that will steal the show.

The Operatic Society was able to draw on a number of Bridgwater based dance academies to create a team that could easily have graced a professional stage.

42nd Streets story follows Julian Marsh, played by Mike Purnell, as the authoritarian director with a heart of gold just beneath the surface.

He needs to stage his production of ‘Pretty Lady’ to maintain his finances and a viable career on Broadway at the height of the Great Depression.

Mike’s experience, timing and stage presence along with a rich singing voice delivered a rounded command of the role.

Floss Berry, in her first leading role, was wonderful as the young, naive new chorus girl, Peggy Sawyer, projected to stardom by an accident to leading lady Dorothy Brock.

Temperamental leading lady Dorothy Brock was played by Maureen Wycherley whose voice, acting skills and experience shone through.

Clare Hunter also stood out in the role of brash co-writer Maggie Jones.There were notable performances from James Venning as Billy Lawlor, the juvenile lead in the play within a play, ‘Pretty Lady’, Gethin Pye as Bert Barry the co-writer of the play and Kieran Filler as dance director, Andy Lee.

Tom Lousiopoulos as Pat Denning, the love interest and former vaudeville partner to Dorothy Brock, delivered an accomplished performance as did Malcolm Hogg, with his engaging Southern drawl, as Adner Dillan, Dorothy Brook’s sugar daddy.

Special mention must also go to society stalwart Darren Oxman, for his portrayal of Mac the ever fretting stage manager.

Praise must also be given to the orchestra who tackled the big-band score with a style that made the audience believe they really were in the West End. The un-fussy set worked well and the costumes, particularly in the ‘Dames’ sequence, brought a colourful kaleidoscopic quality to the production.

This was Tony Pomeroy’s last production as musical director for the society and must rank as one of his finest from a long list of notable successes; his will be a very hard act to follow.

This slick, polished production was a truly fitting start to the society’s 110th anniversary celebrations and the audience left the theatre with very wide grins.