What a guy

Michael Grandage's anaemic Guys And Dolls revival draws little closer to low-life New York than Forties Piccadilly Circus.

Yet the lure of this comic-romantic fairy tale primarily depends upon the imperishable music and witty lyrics of Frank Loesser. The book beautifully catches the lingo of Damon Runyon's stories of raffish Broadway loafers on which Guys And Dolls is based.

The romantic plots run on parallel lines. Ewan McGregor's gambler, Sky Masterson, views Salvation Army girl Sarah (Jenna Russell) as a pawn in a betting ploy but falls in love: Douglas Hodge's Nathan Detroit finds he is trapped after 14 years engaged to Jane Krakowski's Miss Adelaide who wants dreams of marriage to come true, and quick.

When it comes to 'Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat' or 'Luck Be A Lady', languidly sung by McGregor with Summer Strallen), you sense the first nighters exhilarated and intrigued. Yet only Rob Ashford's choreographic set-pieces capture a vintage vivacity and repressed sexual ardour. Down in the New York sewers, where the hoods play their crap game, they dance up an impressive storm, too.

If McGregor's colourless Sky boasts a small singing voice, Krakowski achieves a comic seductiveness. The audience's standing ovation acknowledges the power of classic songs and situations.

Guys And Dolls, Piccadilly Theatre 16 Denman Street, W1 (0870 060 6630)