The Witches Of Eastwick is spellbindingly wicked and has to rank as one of the most magical shows that has ever graced the West End.

On 7 February 2001, Cynthia, Michelle, Marilyn and I decided to watch The Witches Of Eastwick. I didn't need much persuasion to join them, seeing that this was a new musical production by Cameron Mackintosh and it was running at Theatre Royal Drury Lane - a venue where musicals were typically grand, special affairs.

And boy was this a special affair. From the opening chords of the Overture, you could already sense that something unique was unfolding on stage. In some of the songs like the opening "Eastwick Knows" and the lively "Dirty Laundry", the vibrant sounds and delightfully colorful props fused together with the enthusiastic dancing and singing of the cast in perfect harmony.

Based on the novel by John Updike and the 1987 Warner Brothers movie starring Jack Nicholson, the story is set in the little town of Eastwick where gossip remains a preponderant way of life. One constant source of idle chatter is the lives of three women, the sculptress Alexandra Spofford (Lucie Arnaz), the cellist Jane Smart (Joanna Riding) and the local gossip columnist Sukie Rougemont (Maria Friedman). All three share idiosyncratic habits which make them outcasts in Eastwick. Their segregation from society is championed by Felicia Gabriel (Rosemary Ashe) who intends to extirpate this evil influence from their humble town. She does have certain grounds for concern. All three ladies seem to be practitioners of witchcraft and on a more personal level, her husband Clyde Gabriel (Stephen Tate) is having an affair with Sukie and her daughter, Jennifer (Caroline Sheen) is seeing the son of divorcee Alexandra, Michael (Peter Jöback), much to her disapproval.

One stormy night, the three witches wish for the perfect man and lo and behold, he arrives into town in the form of Darryl Van Horne (Ian McShane). He romances all three women simultaneously but none of them seem too bothered by this. They seem more concerned about Felicia and the rumors that abound Eastwick about their indecent liaisons. Exacting some measure of revenge, they curse Felicia such that she throws out from her mouth the objects (such as feathers, spiders and thumbtacks) that they put into a charmed cookie jar. Felicia meets her demise courtesy of her husband and the ever-useful frying pan after much torment from the witches. Along the way, Darryl corrupts Michael who spurns Jennifer while chasing other skirts with his newly acquired worldly knowledge. Out of remorse for their actions leading up to Felicia's death, the three witches keep their distance from Darryl who quickly moves in on Jennifer. On Darryl and Jennifer's wedding day, the witches decide to break up the proceedings. Using a wax effigy of Darryl and a pin, they plague Darryl with so much physical pain that he is forced to retreat out of Eastwick. Michael and Jennifer reunite and the musical ends with yet another powerful song ("Look At Me") sung by all three women.

If adapting a musical from a movie is scarcely easy, finding individuals who can fill the sizeable shoes of the lead characters is even more difficult. In Arnaz, Riding and Friedman, producer Mackintosh found the perfect triumvirate who could flesh out the roles of Alexandra, Jane and Sukie respectively. When a trio like this includes two of England's greatest leading ladies (Oliver Best Actress Awards winners Riding and Friedman) as well as a Broadway actress who is no stranger to multiple awards such as the Los Angeles Drama Critic's Circle Award and the Theatre World Award (Arnaz), you can be certain that expectations will be high and these three do no disappoint. Their uniquely different singing styles and voices make the songs they share such as "Make Him Mine", "I Wish I May" and the finale "Look At Me" such a joy to watch and listen to. (A more detailed review of the music in The Witches Of Eastwick will subsequently be written for the cast recordings section.)

"I Wish I May", in particular, stands out from the rest. There are certain rare moments while watching a stage musical when a song blows me away so much that I just sit there with my mouth gaped in wonder at the beauty of the piece. Another time I remember experiencing this feeling was during the song "Wanting" in the Bridewell Theatre's production of Charles Strouse's Rags. "I Wish I May" ranks as one of my favorite closing numbers for the first Act of a musical. It starts off with the three leading ladies singing in melodious unison and near the end, when their voices soar, so do the actresses (with the help of support cables over the front stalls). They physically "fly" into the audience just as heart-shaped confetti begin to rain down from the sky - an apt reminder of Valentine's Day that was approaching in a week's time.

Tate and Ashe retain the chemistry they previously shared as the Thenardiers in Les Misérables and cover familiar ground as the quarrelsome Gabriels here. Seeing Ashe remove items such as tennis balls and long threads of cloth from her mouth is really an unbelievable sight to behold. Jöback and Sheen share a beautiful duet ("Something") as the young, innocent lovers but their secondary roles are otherwise rather one-dimensional.

The biggest disappointment has to be McShane as Darryl and it is difficult to fathom why so many of these women are enamored by someone like him. You would have expected a character like Darryl to exude charisma in spades and while he displays much confidence, McShane slithers around the stage without the germane panache you would associate with a charming Casanova.

The Witches Of Eastwick serves up a delectable brew of tuneful melodies, sharp and witty dialogue as well as a pinch of much needed magic which is lacking in most musicals playing in London's West End. It subsequently transferred to the smaller Prince Of Wales Theatre (1,100 seats) from the Theatre Royal Drury Lane (2,100 seats) for a more intimate feel with a new cast and a completely revamped but pared-down set. Not even the introduction of a new song entitled "The Glory Of Me" that was sung by Darryl and the retention of the services of Riding (nominated for Best Actress in the 2001 Olivier Awards for her portrayal of Jane) was enough to prevent its ill-fated end.

On 27 October 2001, The Witches of Eastwick closed at the Prince Of Wales Theatre. Cameron Mackintosh blamed this on the dramatic decline in the tourist sector. In the end, the spells conjured on stage was just not enough to save The Witches Of Eastwick.

Reviewed on 9 January 2005