'The Baker's Wife' review – this charming slice-of-life musical serves up a detailed portrait of community

Read our review of The Baker's Wife, starring Lucie Jones and Clive Rowe, now in performances at the Menier Chocolate Factory to 14 September.

Has this gem of a chamber musical found its perfect home? That would be wonderfully apt for a show, set in a close-knit village, which is all about being part of a community. The Baker’s Wife has had a rocky road – it never made it to Broadway, and only had a short West End run in 1989 – but its whimsical charms are beautifully showcased in this intimate Menier production.

Adapted by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, The Prince of Egypt) and Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof) from a 1938 French film, the story follows the ripple effects of a new baker, Aimable (Clive Rowe), and his much-younger wife, Genevieve (Lucie Jones), arriving in the rural Provençal village of Concorde, which has been without a baker, and thus fresh bread, for months.

The residents are thrilled (almost orgasmically so, in a very amusing scene) by the baker’s mouth-watering creations. But appetites of another variety soon cause ructions, as Genevieve is persistently wooed by a handsome man her own age: Dominique, chauffeur to the dissolute Marquis – the latter always accompanied by a trio of pert “nieces”.

That leaves Aimable distraught – and, to the horror of his new customers, unable to bake. Stein highlights the intrinsic comedy of their selfish motives: they’re not really interested in fixing this romantic muddle, but in getting back their delicious morning baguettes. It’s part of the generally effective heightened tone. You’re not getting earnest social realism, but a bubbly French caricature.

Gordon Greenberg’s revival is particularly well attuned to how the slightest shift feels seismic here. Everyone begins questioning their own attitudes to love, desire, family and marriage – whether a wife finally standing up to her domineering husband, a bickering pair giving one another a break, or brothers questioning the ridiculous multi-generational feud that left them estranged.

The irresistible immersive staging draws the audience in. Paul Farnsworth has filled his French bingo card: the square is framed by lush trees, dilapidated green shutters and ivy-clad wrought-iron balconies, plus there are adorable café tables (at which a few audience members are seated), men in flat caps playing boules, and constant, insouciant smoking. Matt Cole’s movement makes the entangled ensemble feel like one character.

Schwartz’s score is as gently amiable as his protagonist, but too meandering. The exception is breakout song “Meadowlark”, which is often heard at concerts. Jones gives an electrifying rendition of it, making Genevieve’s dilemma (should she stay in a life of comfort or pursue a risky passion?) feel like an almighty emotional wrestling match.

But then all of the performances are richly detailed, building out a whole miniature world. Rowe is deeply affecting as Aimable faces a rejection no less painful for its inevitability, while struggling to maintain his dignity and benevolence. Joaquin Pedro Valdes supplies Dominique with Tiggerish virility and a knockout voice.

There’s also strong work from Josefina Gabrielle and Norman Pace as the warring café owners, Matthew Seadon-Young as the indignant priest, Michael Matus as the unrepentantly randy Marquis, Mark Extance as the pedantic teacher, David Seadon-Young as the bumbling local drunk, and Finty Williams gives a quietly heartbreaking turn as a bullied wife.

It all adds up to a compassionate portrait of flawed human beings: alternately supportive and suspiciously judgemental, capable of mistakes and of forgiveness. Likewise, their rustic paradise can become suffocating, particularly its baked-in misogyny. But there is also joy to be found in the imperfect, and this slice-of-life musical is ultimately a celebration of the everyday – and the small acts of kindness that can change everything.

The Baker's Wife is at the Menier Chocolate Factory through 14 September. Book The Baker's Wife tickets on London Theatre.

Photo credit: The Baker's Wife (Photos by Tristram Kenton)