A musical love letter to London

Best bit: The hilarious disrobing scene - the feisty showgirls demand that the company’s male members also undress to even the playing field!

Any boring bits? None immediately spring to mind.

Who would like it? Anglophiles, aspiring vintage pin-ups and those who don’t have a problem with nudity.

Who wouldn't like it? Nevernudes, those who faint at the sight of naked flesh.

Morning after effect: A little more in love with London, I felt furious yet a tad affectionate when my tube was held at a red signal.

Verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Having seen the 2005 film of the same name (in which Judi Dench is resplendent in the title role), I sat down to watch Mrs Henderson Presents with raised expectations. Luckily these were amply met by the plucky musical - its spirited song and dance numbers and racy double entendres culminating in a very enjoyable evening at the Noel Coward Theatre. There was British bottle to spare as the tale of the widowed and wisened Mrs Henderson and her nude revue (yes, you read correctly, starkers) revealed 1940s London in all her stiff-upper-lipped glory, from untroubled peacetime to the hardships of the Blitz. It's a love letter to our home city that's well worth a watch.

English Theatre darling Tracie Bennett (she of inimitable husky voice) gives as good as, if not better than, the Dench, making the role of production's protagonist all her own. Her Mrs Henderson is a real firecracker, equal parts courageous and anti-establishment as she flicks the 'v' to the strait-laced government censors by putting nude performers on her stage.

Recently come into money and bored with the sequestered life of the well-to-do, Mrs H buys herself a theatre and hires the street smart Vivien Van Damm to oversee the operation. Unfortunately their first foray into vaudeville isn't popular enough to keep the Windmill running, so what better way to keep the punters in their seats than with a with a bevy of beauties in the buff? The on-stage nudity is very tastefully done and manages to construe the power of the female form without coming across as seedy. I salute the actors and their complete professionalism!

As the inevitable blitz blights London's streets and inhabitants, the Windmill's show becomes a symbol of resistance, staying open despite the constant barrage of bombs. It was enough to make my British heart swell with pride.

While I heartily enjoyed the musical, I couldn't help feeling that Mrs. Henderson Presents was weighed down by familiar musical theatre tropes (overcoming adversity, romance, a deliriously happy ending) and unable to shine fully through them. It was as if I'd seen it all before, though not the nudity on stage, mind you, that was a theatre first for me. I appreciated the authenticity of the vintage-style score and know that a big ending in musical theatre is common practice, but the constant climactic song endings wore a little thin when the orchestral, vocal and lighting cues did not sync up exactly. I am nitpicking however, and would still recommend a viewing if you're a fan of the movie (or a patriotic historian) and looking for a light-hearted night out in one of the best cities in the world.

Reviewed by Teia Fregona

Saturday 30/3/2016
Noel Coward Theatre, London
Find me on Twitter: @_londontheatre_

View our show pages for more information about Mrs Henderson Presents, Noel Coward Theatre.