Oozing charm, big musical numbers and an enviable wardrobe, this unmissable production will sweep you off your feet and into the world of Guys and Dolls.

The set brings 1950s New York to life and the seedier underside of the city where gamblers and drinkers are rife.

From the Hot Box cabaret nights, the missionary hall, to playing craps in the sewers, each set helps to place audiences straight in the action.

The story all starts with a bet; Nathan Detroit, a well-known gambler, makes a bet with Sky Materson that he can’t take a ‘missionary doll’ on a date with him to Havana. The $1,000 gamble will secure a place for the next dice game and a profit for Detroit.

What unfolds is a raucous attempt for Sky, played by Richard Fleeshman - who some may remember from Coronation Street - to seduce Miss Sarah who is on a mission to save all the sinners in Broadway.

At times, it is romantic and at times it is hilarious. Special note for comedy must go to Louise Dearman who plays Adelaide, Nathan Detroit’s long-suffering fiancé of 14-years. Her great comic timing and brilliant singing voice had audiences laughing out loud, as she shared her unmarried woes and complained how just wondering if the wedding is on or off – a person can develop a cough.

Maxwell Caulfield, who plays her fiancé is great as the bumbling Detroit, who desperately tries to make a buck or two by organising illegal crap games without the cops or Adelaide finding out.

Richard Fleeshman and Anna O’Bryne who play Sky and Miss Sarah make a brilliant and unlikely couple, with some comedy moments as the missionary discovers the effects of Bacardi cocktails for the first time, and some sweeter scenes as they fall for each other, despite their differences.

Luck Be a Lady, Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat, If I Were a Bell, Adelaide’s Lament and Marry the Man Today are all great numbers, which will have you clapping along and tapping your toes from your seat. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll still be humming the tunes as you leave the Marlowe Theatre, and all the way home.

The classic musical started life on Broadway in 1950 and was followed by a film adaptation in 1955, starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra – and it has been a favourite with audiences ever since.

Guys and Dolls provides many laughs along the way, with catchy tunes and brilliantly choreographed dances, fantastic retro costumes and set design. At the heart of it, the story is about the ups and downs of relationships, which is something everyone can relate to, whether a cabaret singer in 1950s New York, or sitting in the packed audience on the opening night in Canterbury.

Guys and Dolls will be showing at the Marlowe Theatre until Saturday, July 2.

For more information, or to book tickets, see marlowetheatre.com