Sweet Charity

Overview

New York, 1967. Charity Hope Valentine is a dance hall hostess who "runs her a heart like a hotel - you've got men checking in and out all the time." At the raw end of a long line of users and losers, she meets Oscar, a mild-mannered tax accountant, and Charity Hope Valentine once again puts her faith into love.

Josie Rourke returns to the work of Cy Coleman, who wrote the music for City of Angels, with the Broadway classic Sweet Charity. With choreography from the world-renowned Wayne McGregor, Rourke reunites with Anne-Marie Duff as Charity, and Arthur Darvill makes his Donmar debut as Oscar, for her farewell production as Donmar Artistic Director.

During Sweet Charity, multiple guest actors will play the role of Daddy Brubeck including Shaq Taylor, Adrian Lester, Le Gateau Chocolat, Beverley Knight and Clive Rowe.

Shaq Taylor will play the role from 6-13 April, Adrian Lester will play the role from 15-27 April to include press night, Le Gateau Chocolat will play the role during the week beginning 29 April, Beverley Knight will play the role during the week beginning 6 May and Clive Rowe during the week beginning 13 May.

Critic reviews

It’s far from a typical revival of a Fosse classic. But it’s all the better for that. Like Charity herself, Sweet Charity is rough around the edges, but it’s driven by love — and deserves to receive the same in return

⋅ Musical Theatre Review

Sixties style over substance

⋅ The Arts Desk

Anne-Marie Duff shines in stylish swansong for Josie Rourke

⋅ Evening Standard

Full of character, very enjoyable and highly intelligent

⋅ WhatsOnStage

This show needs a decluttering expert, and it needs it now

⋅ The Times

Josie Rourke’s exuberant take on the 1960s musical features a tough, vulnerable performance from Anne-Marie Duff

⋅ The Stage

The show may be pre-feminist but, in Rourke’s hands, it has the rhythm of life