The Information on: `A Saint She Ain't'

What Is It?

The West End transfer of Dick Vosburgh and Denis King's 1940s musical spoof, directed by Ned Sherrin, is not quite at home in this too-large theatre. Nonetheless, the spot-on songs and gags guarantee an amiable evening's entertainment.

Who's In It?

Barry Cryer underscores proceedings as WC Fields, with Pauline Daniels as Mae West. Rae Baker and Gavin Lee are charming as the tap-dancing young lovers, while best of all are the contributions from Corinna Powlesland in the Martha Raye-type role.

What They Say About It

"Watching Brian Greene's embarrassingly feeble take-off of Jimmy Durante, Barry Cryer's leaden impersonation of WC Fields and Pauline Daniels's loudly appreciated, yet crudely uninspired version of Mae West, I envied those of my colleagues who had seen the show in its original, less exposed environment where a certain good-natured badness can be part of the charm," Paul Taylor, The Independent.

"The feeling is so ebulliently welcoming we found ourselves helplessly chortling at what we might have sniffily dismissed as Christmas-cracker silliness... Did we laugh? You bet we did," Benedict Nightingale, The Times.

"In borrowing from Moliere, A Saint She Ain't becomes a triumph of tongue and cheek," Nicholas de Jongh, Evening Standard.

Where You Can See It

A Saint She Ain't is at the Apollo Theatre, London W1 (0171-494 5070) to 29 Jan 2000