Ain't no party like a Five Guys Party

Something is jumping at the corner of Hyde Park, housed under the canvas of the new Marble Arch Theatre. Upon entering, you're immediately ushered into a fabulously realised New Orleans jazz club, (if jazz clubs had revolving stages) where you can but only succumb to the command to put all your troubles to one side and enjoy the evening's entertainment. And that's before you've even taken your seat.

The setting is tantamount to this revival of this jubilant jukebox musical from Underbelly and Cameron Mackintosh, written by The Wire's Clarke Peters. Featuring the music of Louis Jordan the man who fathered rhythm and blues as we know it. Five Guys immediately thrusts us into the action and into the living room of Nomax (Edward Baruwa), a whiskey soaked night owl who has just been dumped by his long time girlfriend. Whiling away the wee hours with some vintage radio, Nomax is suddenly visited by the Five Moes, Little, Four-Eyed, Know, Big and Eat, a breezy group of 1940s hep cats who've decided to help him get his act together.

What follows is a gorgeously entertaining and transporting show full of quick wit, nifty choreography, audience participation (including a conga line) and of course, the vibrant verve of Jordan's all too often overlooked songwriting. Soulful ditties rub alongside vaudevillesque bits, chatty choruses and foot-tapping jazz beats. Performed with triumphant precision by the talented and harmonious ensemble - Ian Carlyle, Dex Lee, Horace Oliver, Idriss Kargbo, Emile Ruddock - it would be difficult to single out one above the others, but I did have a soft spot for Eat Moe.

All this on a wonderfully immersive set, the benefit of which is most successfully experienced in the cabaret style pit, where the actors mosey through, dance around and even join a table or two.

Cam Mac himself was in the bar at the interval looking pretty happy as the audience excitedly discussed the show. And so he should be. Five Guys Named Moe is another certified hit he can add to his C.V.

Reviewed by @ThisIsKittyMac

Five Guys Named Moe is at the Marble Arch Theatre until February 17th, 2018

View our show pages for more information about Five Guys Named Moe, Marble Arch Theatre.