BILLED as "The Swingingest Musical In Town", Tapping Harlem hit Preston's Charter Theatre before opening in London's West End.

The set featured main character and narrator Old Avon, an elderly tapdancer reminiscing about the legendary Apollo Theatre in New York while Young Avon acted out the memories. The small crowd of spectators soon got into the swing of things and enjoyed the uplifting music of 1930s America.

It was a brilliant production, with song after song belted out by the large cast, but it also featured many moments of love, race and religion.

The music was magnificent and the costumes simple but effective. The five-piece band helped create an excellent theatre atmosphere.

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