Bombay Dreams meets Les Miserables in Stephen Clark and Philip Henderson's musical based on M M Kaye's romantic blockbuster novel set in mid-19th century India during the British Raj.
It tells the story of Ashton Pelham-Martyn, a foundling brought up as a servant-playmate to an Indian maharajah's daughter, who is restored to England and who, after a suitable amount of time on the playing fields of Marlborough, returns to India as a British officer during the disastrous Afghanistan campaign. In between being a hero he finds time to be reunited with his princess. A stern, blood-splattered Queen Victoria stares down over the proceedings looking not the slightest bit amused.
You probably will be, provided you are prepared to suspend all disbelief and bow to the 19th century conventions of 21st century musical theatre, enjoy lush orchestrations, have an encyclopaedic knowledge of romantic cliches, and want your night out to include lots of good-looking people - men in dashing scarlet uniforms and breathtakingly beautiful women - putting on a stylish spectacle.
No, it's not high art, but it is not kitsch rubbish either, and to tell the truth I've had far more painful and unpleasant nights out watching Pinter plays. It works because Clark - who cut his musical teeth at the late, lamented Bridewell - is a superior lyricist, and while fitting 900 pages into two-and-a-half hours of stage time is a bit of a squeeze, Clark does it with considerable intelligence, matching the duality of the characters with the tensions in relations between India and England.
He manages to have his Empire and apologise for it too. Gale Edwards' staging is terrific too, boasting the kind of elegant, artless simplicity that you only get by spending millions. Add to that a clutch of first rate performances (Sophiya Haque and David Burt both seize their chances as the villains of the piece) and you have a West End musical that should be here to stay.
· Until September 4. Box office: 0870 145 1163.
