I went to see Guys and Dolls at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield and I was blown away. It was by far the best production of the musical I had ever seen. The cast was brilliant, the musical numbers were spot on and the set was so intricate it deserves its own documentary. 

The story is that of a group of gamblers and a mission in New York, and what happens when the two mix. The result is, of course, the brilliant musical that we all know and love. The director and choreographer have visibly taken the time to think through every tiny detail, from the colour of the costumes to the direction the ensemble dance in. This really allows you to connect with the characters, especially as some of the emotions presented in the show are so relatable already.   

One the best musical numbers in the show was Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat, due to the excellent choreography involving the use of the chairs and the set of the Mission. The amount of practice that must have gone into moving the chairs constantly throughout the song, and still managing to end up in exactly the same place you started, is much more than anyone can imagine, and is quite a feat.  

The set itself is a masterpiece, with two rotating discs that when lined up perfectly, form runways that allow pieces of set to roll on. However, maybe some more time could have been spent on actual direction, rather than set design and logistics, as in several of the large group scenes, apart from during the musical numbers, the actors didn’t really seem to know where to walk/stand. 

Overall, it is a brilliant performance and extremely enjoyable to watch. It is no less than what would be expected of Sheffield Theatres’ annual musical.