When musical theatre maestro Cy Coleman adapted a Fellini movie into 'Sweet Charity' in 1966, he sanitised its story for pearl-clutching Broadway audiences, making its star a dancer-for-hire instead of a prostitute. Thirty-odd years later, he more than made up for it with 'The Life' – a musical that plunges right into sleaziest corners of pre-clean-up New York.
Set in the early '80s, it's a story of the women who worked the streets around Times Square, and the ruthless pimps who controlled them. Drug-addicted 'nam veteran Fleetwood is pimping out his girlfriend Queen but she can't tell how committed he is to leaving 'the life' for good – especially when he picks up a blonde girl from Minnesota, fresh off the bus and ready to make some money.
It could (and maybe should) be unbearably bleak, but Ira Gasman's book depicts these women with surprising warmth and compassion. Queen and older hustler Sonja's friendship is a highlight - newcomer T'Shan Williams and West End veteran Sharon D Clarke both turn in stunning performances, and their voices blend beautifully. There's even a thumping feminist sex-positive anthem: 'It's my body, and my body's nobody's business but my own'.
Rousing it might be, but realistic it ain't. Michael Blakemore directed this show's Broadway premiere 20 years ago, and although the veteran director's revival has a great cast and a properly pacy, exciting final act, there are quite a few dated touches. Notably a campy card-sharp scene that's straight out of 'Guys and Dolls', and weirdly family-friendly language that barely mentions the show's central business – whatever Blakemore's script updates added, it wasn't cuss-words.
But this caution just points to the fact that even on 1997 Broadway, the positive depiction of sex workers in 'The Life' was wildly controversial. In his post-show speech, Blakemore called the show 'a nervous hit'. But in this superbly sung, raucous revival, its confidence shines.