I remember Passion first coming to the West End starring Michael Ball and Helen Hobson, but was it really more than ten years ago? What I didn’t recall as that it was a Stephen Sondhein James Lappin score and book. This production by Primavra has stripped back the extravagances of the London version and their black and white interpretation certainly does not detract from this show. The very talented cast perform with style, Sondheim is never straight forward in is writing, often making it very difficult for the singers, but these eight handled even the most awkward parts with ease. This is primarily a love triangle, with Beauty and the Beast undertones. Captain Giorgio, Jonathan Chambers is having an affair with Clara, Chantelle Staynings, but he is posted elsewhere and his commanding officers cousin, Fosca, Amy Payne, a sickly woman form an attachment to this handsome officer. Doctor Tambourri, Ben Galpin, encourages the relationship, but how will it end. Matthew Hawksworth play Colonel Ricci, Lt Torasso by Robin Innes, Lt Barri by Richard Wright and Sgt Lombardi /Mistress by the impressive Grace Ang-Lygate complete the cast. This is a fine example of what good Sondheim should be like, and even at a touch under two hours the time passes very quickly indeed.

****