Musical Theatre / Nice Work If you Can Get It!, Queanbeyan Players. At The Q, Queanbeyan, until November 10. Reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.

Though you could be forgiven for thinking that Nice Work If You Can Get It! is a vintage musical, especially because it features the songs of George and Ira Gershwin with a book written by Joe DiPietro but based on material by Guy Bolton and PG Wodehouse, it actually premiered on Broadway in 2012.

The Production Company in Melbourne gave it its first Australian production in 2015.

Dave and Kirsten Smith were so impressed with Nice Work If You Can Get it! when they saw the Broadway production while touring the US in 2013 that they persuaded Queanbeyan Players to produce it, even taking on the roles of director (Dave) and choreographer (Kirsten).

It’s not difficult to see the reasons for their enthusiasm because the show, a pastiche of a 1920s musical, is crammed full of the Gershwin’s most memorable songs, and while the storyline is disarmingly silly and improbable it is also very funny, offering lots of delightful character roles that this large, talented cast embrace with enthusiasm.

Taking on his first directorial role Dave Smith draws on his own formidable performance skills to deliver a sparkling, well-cast production in which his actors and creatives achieve an impressive balance between farce and nostalgia.

In the central role as Jimmy Winter, the dopey millionaire with a penchant for getting married to the wrong person, Luke Ferdinands offers a beautifully sung, confidently danced leading man performance that is funny, charming and worthy of the adoration of the hordes of adoring females who constantly pursue him.

He is well matched by Sienna Curnow as the no-nonsense bootlegger Billie Bendix, who charms with an effervescent performance, delightfully phrased singing and especially her comedic skills.

Anthony Swadling scores with his well-judged performance as Billie’s partner-in-crime Cookie McGee particularly when he finds himself unwittingly transformed from bootlegger to butler; while John Whinfield captures his share of the laughs with an inspired performance as Duke Mahoney who discovers a misunderstanding about his name attracts the attention of gorgeous gold-digger, Jeannie Muldoon (Kay Liddiard).

Anna Tully is a constant delight as Eileen Evergreen, the world’s most celebrated modern dancer, while Lillee Keating as Duchess Estonia Dulworth, Steven O’Mara as Chief Bartholomew, Pat Gallagher as Judge Max Evergreen and, especially, Fiona Hale as the formidable Millicent  who unravels misunderstandings at the end with her surprising revelations, all add to the fun.

Among the delights with this production are the numerous spectacular song-and-dance routines performed by the large ensemble that features an unusually large male contingent and which are cleverly staged by choreographer Kirsten Smith who possesses a particular talent for devising eye-catching movement for non-dancers.

Also outstanding is the large orchestra assembled under the musical direction of Brigid Cummins, which achieved an impressively disciplined big band period sound that did justice to the superb musical arrangements that constantly surprised with the inclusion of references to the Gershwins’ Rhapsody in Blue and several of their lesser-known classical compositions in addition to their well-known songs including Someone to Watch Over Me, S’Wonderful and Fascinating Rhythm.

Elegant, flattering period costumes designed by Jess Zdanowicz, a serviceable setting, together with good sound and lighting by Telia Jansen and Jacob Aquilina all contributed to a clever production destined to be remembered as being among Queanbeyan Players’ best.