Lucy Cave
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever is probably not the first thing that pops to mind when you think of Broadway musicals, but this musical, originally by Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane, is definitely the kookiest of them all. On A Clear Day follows the story of young Daisy Gamble (Vicki Lee Taylor), a bright eyed New Yorker who senses the phone ringing and can make flowers grow by singing to them. She meets Dr Bruckner (Nadeem Crowe) who says he can help her stop smoking by hypnosis, but instead discovers that Gamble has ESP and is the reincarnation of a lady from the eighteenth century.
From the get go we are chucked into bright and chirpy musical stylings, filled with peppy piano playing and uplifting notes that you would have to have a heart of stone for it not to make you smile in some way. It is pure Broadway magic; dance routines and high notes to make the glasses of the chap sitting in the front row shatter completely. For the interesting storyline (a girl who can make flowers grow by singing to them? Sure…) it flows rather perfectly, until the whole loving the reincarnation of Daisy comes into it. But you cannot expect anything less; you just have to embrace this wonderfully bizarre story.
While the Union Theatre is amazing, the small venue does affect some parts of the show – mainly the dance routines. They often feel cramped, and you know those moves could be a bit bigger and the arms wider. But if that is the only downside to this show, then I would be happy to watch it in a box.
And whatever you think of On A Clear Day there is no denying the talent of this cast. The break out performer of this show has to be Lee Taylor, who plays Gamble. No stranger to the musical (she has just finished playing Maggie in A Chorus Line) she proves that she should not be moving away from the musical any time soon, with a breathtaking portrayal. She has the heart, quirkiness and perfect comedy timing in this role, and it will not be long before the big leagues lap her up.
This is a Broadway treat hidden under a railway arch in South East London. Go and see this show now.
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever is playing at Union Theatre until 28 September 2013. For more information and tickets, see the Union Theatre website.