Anything Goes

Ross MacGibbon's 2021 recording captures a musical staged live in London. The story takes place on an ocean liner where two couples try to reach each other and the ship's rules break down entirely in the process. The show's real strength is the dancing. The choreography, resting on the American musical tradition of the thirties, is performed by a large ensemble, and the tap section in the title number is at its centre; the recording gives that passage without cutting. Sutton Foster leads. The songs are by Cole Porter and are known independently of the story. The plot is thin and the characters slight; the show does not hide this and gives its weight to the numbers. Who it's for: those who like classic musicals and theatre recordings. Who it's not for: viewers looking for narrative depth; the story exists to link the songs.