Stephen Schwartz's 1972 musical, a hippyish quest by the son of the Emperor Charlemagne to find his place in the world, could not be described by any stretch of the imagination as a great musical. But it is a rather enjoyable one in Sasha Regan and Ben de Wynter's lively pocket-sized version. It is the first time I've ever watched it without grinding my teeth and mentally rechristening Schwartz as Schmaltz.
Staged with the audience on three sides, so that the cast are nose-to-nose with the audience, this production has a higgledy-piggledy charm and a winning energy, as if performed by a group of kids who've raided their mum's dressing-up box and put on every sparkly thing they can find.
Not all the voices are good here and, to be brutally frank, some of the cast can't sing at all. But they can all put over a song, and the show is so in-your-face, in the nicest possible way, that after a while you don't mind its raggedness or the lack of story development. In many ways this is reminiscent of the good old days of the BAC Christmas musical when the overall experience is greater than the sum of its parts. Put it on a larger stage and it would seem exposed, but here under the railway arches it is the embodiment of the dash and swagger of the fringe.
Part of Regan and De Wynter's success is that they send it up slightly while still believing in it. There is a touch of camp about the production, but not too much. They walk that tightrope between being knowing and fresh-faced, which rather suits this tale of innocence matured by experience.
It is also wonderfully atmospheric with the ensemble looking as though they might launch into Cabaret at any minute. This may be a case of style over substance, but it is fun.
· Until Saturday. Box office: 020-7261 9876.
