Theatre Review: Flowers for Mrs Harris cleans up with a triumph of Anglo-French co-operation

I confess I gave up on the recent film version of the Paul Gallico book that starred Leslie Manville, but patient theatregoers, willing to allow Rachel Wagstaff the time and space to set up the characters in her conscientious adaptation, will be richly rewarded when they come back for the second act.

The Olivier award-winning actress Jenna Russell shines as the titular cleaning lady who saves up to go to Paris to buy herself a Christian Dior dress. There’s a genuinely affecting chemistry between her and Hal Fowler as an ageing French aristocrat who comes to adore her.

The production is handsomely mounted with a great set by Nik Corrall, and, as the costume designer, Sara Perks rises magnificently to the occasion and her red dress is maybe the real star of the show.

Richard Taylor’s music and lyrics are, quite frankly, nothing to write home about, but the underlying quality of the acting and some good old-fashioned production values see it all through and it was hard not to ultimately be won over by its charm.

In a show that’s quite so quaintly middle-aged, it’s rather fun to have an actor quite as young and exuberant as Harry Singh demonstrating his versatility and flair in a range of roles including a delivery boy, dressmaker and shop assistant. As one old trouper once told me, there are no such things as small parts, only small actors.