AMERICAN Musicals come in very different forms. There are those that look over to Europe and those with strongly defined homegrown plots. For their Centenary performances, Beaconsfield Operatic Society chose one of the best from each group.

In the Spring it was My Fair Lady, adapted from George Bernard Shaw, and now that most difficult of indigenous shows, Guys and Dolls, based on Damon Runyan with a marvellous score and lyrics by Frank Loesser.

Why is Guys and Dolls so difficult?

Unlike the numerous Western and Hill Billy musicals we see, this one - like West Side Story - bites deeply into the American psyche. We witness the deep moral split between Evangelical Christianity and irresponsible gambling. In Guys and Dolls this is epitomised between Sergeant Sarah Brown, the virginal Salvation Army stalwart, and Sky Masterson, unprincipled leader of a gang of New York gamblers and hoods.

The success or failure of this show depends on how one takes to the unlikely conversion of Sky; his undermining of Sarah’s moral fibre; and the hilarious manner in which the thick gamblers and hoods actually participate in a Mission Meeting and help save the Mission. Despite one reservation, Beaconsfield succeeded.

The skilful producer, Stephanie Pemberton, was faced with a work with an acknowledged difficult beginning. First Nights are inevitably slow to get going, and the dash and drive lacking initially began to appear later. By placing the orchestra on centre stage, Stephanie ensured the audibility of the words, and obviated the need for extensive scenery and complex scene changes, relying on lighting and the use of “alcoves”. This worked well.

As Sergeant Brown, newcomer Lisa McAdam shone out as believable throughout, in appearance, deportment and behaviour, with a good voice and personable acting ability. Of three other newcomers, Chris Voxall and Andy Sonden certainly enlivened the proceedings. However, though Darren Massey as Sky Masterson sang well, his was a subdued, rather understated characterisation - hence my reservation.

Of the Beaconsfield stalwarts, Rachel McGregor and Kevin Vaughan-Smith again contributed admirably as the comic, odd sub-plot couple. Otherwise credit to the Hot Box Girls (Julie Man, Selina Tucker, Hayley Vaughan-Smith and Hayley White), for their lack of inhibition; to Alvin Cohen (the hood from Chicago); and also to Peter Merriman, Tim Pemberton and Margaret Maun for sound cameos.