Singin’ in the Rain at the Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris

The stage version of what’s widely touted as the ‘greatest big screen musical of all time’, Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, 1952), which was co-directed by and starred Hollywood screen legend Gene Kelly, returns to the Théâtre du Châtelet, following a short season during March.

This classic tale takes place in late-1920s Hollywood, during the transition from silent movies to ‘talkies’, and stage director Robert Carsen, who was responsible for the fantastic My Fair Lady at the same theatre a couple of years ago, stays loyal to the silver screen version. Tim Hatley’s handsome monochrome sets, Anthony Powell’s stunning costumes, Stephen Mear’s energetic dance routines and the lush-sounding Orchestre de Chambre de Paris (under the baton of Gary Valentine) are a perfect fit for Carsen’s vision.

Leads Dan Burton and Clare Halse – as heart-throb Don Lockwood and aspiring actress Kathy Selden, respectively – are consistent but it’s the spot-on Daniel Crossley (Lockwood’s sidekick Cosmo Brown) and Emma Kate Nelson (Lina Lamont) who really stand out.

Singin’ in the Rain, Théâtre du Châtelet from November 27 – January 15, 2016. Tuesdays to Saturdays at 8pm. Matinees on Saturdays at 3pm & Sundays at 4pm. Tickets: €15-€130. Tel: +33 1 40 28 28 40

From France Today magazine