Rapidly approaching their 21st anniversary at “Upstairs at the Gatehouse”, there is no denying that Katie and John Plews have created something simply unique and welcoming at this brilliant North London fringe theatre venue. Their latest production with Ovation Theatres Limited sees them debut the UK premiere production of the hit Broadway show “Nice Work If You Can Get It”.
Headed by Alistair So and Jessica-Elizabeth Nelson, this stellar cast have delve head first into creating an extremely charming and delightful adaptation for this debut. Set in the 1920s, Nice Work If You Can Get It follows dapper playboy Jimmy Winter (Alistair So), a wealthy gentleman who meets rough and ready female bootlegger Billie Bendix (Jessica-Elizabeth Nelson) on the weekend of his wedding. Jimmy, who has previously been married three times before, is preparing to marry Eileen Evergreen (Charlotte Scally), “the world’s greatest interpreter of modern dance”. Assuming Jimmy and Eileen will be out of town, Billie and her gang of bootleggers hide cases of alcohol in the basement of Jimmy’s Long Island mansion. But when Jimmy, his wife in waiting and her protesting family show up at the door for the wedding, Billie and her fellow bootleggers are forced to hide out as servants, causing a whole load of tomfoolery and nonsense.
