Desperately Seeking Susan

The musical adaptation of the classic '80s Madonna film gets a Blondie makeover.

What's the story?
This stage adaptation of the 1985 film about mistaken identity between a bored housewife and a wild child in New York is less Get Into The Groove (the original Madonna songs aren't used) and more One Way Or Another (Blondie songs step in to save the show).

Perfect for
Apart from the hardcore Blondie fans anyone who ran into American Apparel to snap up their multicoloured shimmering leggings as soon as they heard the '80s were back will be in heaven.

Worst bit
The songs sometimes feel forced into the storyline, such as the addition of a maid named Maria, a character whose sole point seems to be belting out the 1999 Blondie song of the same name. The New Yoik accents, with the exception of the brilliant nasal-afflicted dentist Larry (Steven Serlin), leave something to be desired.

Best bit
The exception to this forced feeling is One Way Or Another, which is the perfect tune to accompany baddie (Alex Verne) who chases Roberta (played to prim perfection by Kelly Price) thinking she's Susan (Emma Williams in the Madonna role) with his diamond earrings. A massive elevated treadmill runs the length of the stage to simulate the chase to great effect.

How long before I get bored of it?
Unfortunately this isn't a patch on the original film (believe it or not, once upon a time Madonna could act her fingerless gloves off) but it's still good fun. It might not be Rapture, but we couldn't help singing Blondie songs to ourselves on the way home.

Rating
2.5/5

Location, location, location
Desperately Seeking Susan is playing at the Novello Theatre London, book now

See our other picks of West End theatre

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