This stage version of Singin’ in the Rain was terrific when it opened during a torrential downpour in Chichester last summer. And it is even better now on its transfer to the West End, the perfect, potent pick-me-up in these apparently interminable grey days of anxiety and gloom.

If it doesn’t send you dancing down the Charing Cross Road with an inane grin of pleasure on your face, then I can only guess that you are in the vile grip of clinical depression when nothing can lift the spirits.

Verdict: *****
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Jonathan Church’s production starts a little shakily with a too busy prologue during the overture (the band are high above the stage at the back), and the arrival of guests, including Charlie Chaplin twirling his stick and moustache, at a movie premiere down the centre aisle only reinforces a lack of focus.

But once Adam Cooper and Daniel Crossley hit their stride in their vaudeville routine, the evening takes off. Cooper’s line, agility and charm carry the show, while Crossley is a delightful foil, paying due homage to O’Connor by crashing through the wall (not dancing up it) in “Make ’em Laugh” and ceding victory to his forebear.

Scarlett Strallen is a sweetly accurate and demure Debbie Reynolds clone, singing beautifully, and the statuesque Katherine Kingsley drives you suitably mad as Lina Lamont, proving that you have to be able to play the trumpet really well, as it were, in order to play it badly.

Verdict: ****
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Jonathan Church’s production is colourful, fast on its feet, crackling with humour – even the “turn off your mobile phones” pre-performance announcement becomes a little gag, and there was a throwaway joke about The Artist which no one in the audience seemed to notice at the first night. The supporting cast is uniformly strong and simpatico, and Scarlett Strallen is charming as Lockwood’s love interest.
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Adam Cooper as the lead Hollywood star of the story isn’t exactly drenched in Gene Kelly charisma. Indeed he has the look of a handsome policeman. But he can surely dance, and when his big moment comes he isn’t so much singing and dancing as surfing in the rain. And Daniel Crossley is once more the reincarnation of Norman Wisdom as Cooper’s clowning, cheeky chappy partner Cosmo Brown. Crossley is an equally accomplished dancer and their tap routines together are a joy. But for me, the leading ladies stole the show.

Katherine Kingsley as the squealing Lina Lamont is a ‘New Yoik’ lamb to the slaughter of the talking films. She has a singing voice like nails dragged down a blackboard. And her elocution lessons are like listening to feedback on a microphone. It takes talent to sound this shocking. But the undisputed star is Scarlett Strallen, who is the spit of Debbie Reynolds from the film. She has a voice like mountain spring water and shapely dancing pins to match. All this in front of an audience desperate to pop open their brollies and splash around in the title tune, and the producers have one of the hits of the year. Go get soaked.

Verdict: ****

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Adam Cooper is likeable as Lockwood, with fantastic dance skills. There's engaging work from Daniel Crossley as pal Cosmo. Katherine Kingsley has an irresistible comic touch as Lina, and Scarlett Strallen radiates warmth as Kathy.

There are neat performances in supporting roles notably Michael Brandon as a studio boss, elegant design by Simon Higlett and ingenious video by Ian William Galloway, which draws some of the biggest laughs.

It's crowd-pleasing stuff. The memory of Gene Kelly may not be banished, but this is a buoyant revival, lit up by Andrew Wright's superlative choreography.

Verdict: ****
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