The Roar Of The Greasepaint - The Smell Of The Crowd ***

This 60’s musical by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley is a quirky – though enjoyable – oddity which is only now having its London premiere.

The tiny stage is transformed into a circus Big Top by designer Tim Goodchild, the floor marked out with a circular board game, where Sir and Cocky play out their Game of Life, observed by a singing, dancing sextet of Pierrot-like Urchins with little button noses and faces painted white.

There are no apparent rules – and that’s the point in this allegorical, somewhat absurdist, satire on the British class system in which the two main protagonists, who have obviously been playing the game for a long, long time - vie for supremacy. As in the real world, it’s portly, upper crust Sir who holds all the aces, changing the rules to suit himself so that shabby, working class Cocky doesn’t seem to have a hope, no matter how hard he tries.

But it’s probably best to forget the rather laboured message and just enjoy Ian Judge’s production for the individual musical numbers and likeable performances.

Matthew Ashforde brings a lanky determination to the role of Cocky, Oliver Beamish struts confidently as Sir. But it’s Terry Doe, making a brief appearance as The Negro, who not only gives Cocky a taste of power but proves the highlight of the evening with his heartfelt delivery of a single, show-stopping number – the bluesy “Feelin’ Good.”

Finborough, Finborough Road, SW10 9ED Tube: Earl’s Court (0844 847 1652) finboroughtheatre.co.uk Until July 2 (£17- £20)