The opening two minutes made me worry that this show was going to feel contrived, dated and too saccharine. None of this was helped by the slightly poor diction in the opening number. However, the opening number and first two minutes passed and this became one of the best productions I have seen for a while.
A strong cast is led superbly by Mark Umbers and Scarlet Strallen. Umbers is charming and endearing, if strangely stooped in posture, as Georg Nowack, which makes his nastiness towards Strallen’s Amalia Balash appear all the more cruel and jarring. Strallen is perfect as the idealistic Balash, and there are some highlight comedic moments from Katherine Kingsley as Ilona Ritter.
The costumes are sumptuous and the set, with its multiple revolves, allows the action to flow smoothly between locations. The first reveal of the interior of Maraczek’s Parfumerie is a moment of awe and beauty, and reminds you of being a small child walking into a sweet shop for the first time.
The score is not particularly memorable, but the lyrics are clever and witty. However, the Menier feels too small for this production - the acting and the choreography felt over-exaggerated for the space, and there was not enough room on stage for the opening scenes of the second Act. This was the Menier’s Christmas season production, but this is a show that is perfect for all seasons - I am hoping that there will be a West End transfer in the future.