Review: The Picture House, theSpace on North Bridge

What an unexpected, charming and touching delight this new musical is. Set in a Yorkshire village in 1939, it is the story of a young couple whose hopes and dreams seem to have been realised when they take over and revive the local picture house, where the wife, Penny (the liltingly-voiced Lily de-la-Haye) has spent many an evening swooning over her favourite stars. ****

When war breaks out, the cinema comes into its own, providing an escape from the increasingly harsh realities of daily life. But once the men of the village have been called up, a repeat viewing of Gone With the Wind is no longer an attractive option for the women left behind to make ends meet – and in Penny’s case, single-handedly run a business she had shared with her husband. Just as the picture house gets into financial difficulties, Penny becomes increasingly convinced that Oscar (Alistair Higgins) will never return to her.

Right from the off – starting with its visually and musically memorable opening ensemble song Here In the Spotlight, which conjures up the glamour and romance of the movies – The Picture House beguiles the audience with its lovely ballads and catchy upbeat numbers, performed with piano, violin and drums. And when it’s not beguiling, it’s entertaining: the comedy song We’re the Soldier Rejects, sung by the motley crew of conspirators who want to take over the cinema, brought the house down on the show’s opening night.

The performances are uniformly impressive – this is very much an ensemble piece – but Rebecca Eastham stood out as Flo, a particularly funny and affecting character who, as the vicar’s wife, has to hold it together despite being terrified by the implications of the lack of news from her soldier son.

ALISON KERR

Until 18 August. Today 6:20pm.