She Loves Me: How you can get tickets for the popular Sheffield Crucible Theatre show
and live on Freeview channel 276
Step forward, Sheffield Crucible Theatre with a revival of She Loves Me, a sparkling Christmas bauble of a musical that’s upbeat and fun.
It’s a romantic comedy set in a perfume shop in 1930s Budapest, where sparks fly between new shop assistant Amalia (Alex Young) and colleague Georg (David Thaxton).
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWhat they don’t realise is that they are falling in love with each other because they are exchanging letters anonymously through a lonely hearts column.
It’s not really a plot spoiler to say that eventually they figure it out but there’s a bit of fun along the way.
Alex, making her sixth appearance at the Crucible, and David have believable chemistry and warmth and they are both great singers.
They each tackle one of the two best-known songs in the show, She Loves Me and Vanilla Ice Cream.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdKaisa Hammarlund makes the most of her comedy role as Ilona, who learns a lesson about choosing the wrong type of man through her involvement with shop cad Steven (Andy Coxon).
All the supporting actors – Lewis Cornay, Karl Seth and Marc Elliott – are funny and likeable and Adele Anderson from cabaret group Fascinating Aida has a lovely scene as the maitresse d’ of a cafe where Georg finally realises Amalia’s other identity.
The ensemble work hard, dance beautifully and have their own fun song, Twelve Days to Christmas, that anyone struggling to finish their present shopping will relate to.
Ben Stones’ set is beautiful, too. The shop opens up like a giant doll’s house to show the interior and it’s wonderfully evocative of its time and place.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdShe Loves Me is like a special Christmas treat, beautifully packaged, fun to open and play with.
It’s unashamedly old fashioned, harking back to a more innocent time that never really existed but is fun to visit for a while, and nobody spoils the illusion by being knowing about it.
A great job by director Rob Hastie and the whole team.
She Loves Me is at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield until January 15. Box office: visit the theatre, go online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk or call 0114 249 6000.