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The odds are good that any production of Guys and Dolls, the rollicking musical comedy set in 1940s New York, will draw an audience. Rich in song, character, story and humour, Guys and Dolls, first produced in 1950, is one of Broadway's best. Ottawa's Orpheus Musical Theatre Society knows it's a winner, bankrolling five productions over the past 50 years, including the current version playing at Centrepointe Theatre. The sparkling music and lyrics by Frank Loesser are a safe bet, but not a sure one. From the moment small-time gambler Nicely, Nicely Johnson sings the first line: "I got the horse right here. His name is Paul Revere," Guys and Dolls requires much more than luck. It needs a large cast blessed with superb voices, acting skills and comedic talent. The supremely capable Shaun Toohey as Nicely, Nicely quickly assures us we are in good hands. So does Chris Ralph as Nathan Detroit, the very likable proprietor of "the oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York." He and the ab-fab Nicole Milne as Miss Adelaide, his frustrated fiancee of 14 years, have an easy charisma. As is often the case in Guys and Dolls, it is Nathan and Adelaide -- the second-string couple -- who win our hearts. As high-flying gambler Sky Masterson and Salvation Army sweetie Sarah Brown, Ben Nowell and Shawna Morgan are talented singers and exceedingly attractive, but they need more assurance. Something happens, however, when Nowell switches from speaking to singing. His emotions come through and his performance is at times swoon-worthy. Director Joe O'Brien keeps the action moving smartly through 16 scenes, although the comedy is not always as crisp as the script commands. Musical director Wendy Berkelaar presides over some splendid choral work. The choreography suits the skills of the dancers. With a few unflattering and dull exceptions, the costumes are fine, and the sets get the job done. At 56 years old, and based on an obscure story by Damon Runyon, some of the show's language is quaintly archaic, but there's something very appealing about an imagined past where the gangsters dress better than today's high-tech billionaires. Some time in the next decade, will Orpheus produce this winner yet again? As the assembled cast sings in the finale: "It's better than even money." The Orpheus production of Guys and Dolls continues at Centrepointe Theatre to March 10. Tickets & times: 613-580-2700 or www.centrepointetheatre.ca |