★★★★½ An almost flawless adaptation that offers technicolour escapism from the first note to the last raindrop.

Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne
May 14, 2016

It may be a five-year-old interpretation of a 64-year-old movie classic, but there’s a very good reason why Jonathan Church’s Singin’ in the Rain remains a particularly relevant production for Australia’s present-day theatre circuit.

The British director’s next appointment will be filling the very big shoes of Andrew Upton as the new artistic director of Sydney Theatre Company, and given Church’s pedigree with musical theatre – a genre he has championed passionately during his ten-year tenure leading the UK’s Chichester Festival Theatre – speculation that STC may join the in vogue bandwagon of major State theatre and opera companies presenting musicals is high.

Church’s future vision for STC remains hearsay for the time being until his inaugural season as AD is announced later this year. Until then, Australian theatre-lovers can marvel at the high-gloss polish of his superb adaptation of arguably the most iconic movie musical of all time.

The cast of Singin’ in the Rain

Best known for the joyous splish-splash fun of its title song, Singin’...