Gainsborough: Come into Millie’s thoroughly modern world at Trinity Arts

Based on the 1967 film of the same name, the show is set in 1920s New York and focuses on central character Millie Dillmont.

In 1922, Millie and Miss Dorothy Brown are just two of the girls living at the Priscilla Hotel for Single Young Ladies run by Mrs Meers.

Orphaned, Miss Dorothy, just recently arrived, is a naive, old-fashioned girl from a seemingly privileged background who has aspirations to be a stage actress.

From more modest means, Millie, in New York for three months, used to be old fashioned, but now has a new modern sensibility and look to match, complete with bobbed hair and dresses with hemlines above the knee.

Included in this new modern sensibility is Millie’s goal of getting a job as a stenographer, with a quick promotion to being her wealthy boss’ wife.

Love is not to factor into the equation – she wants to marry for money and live a rich lifestyle.

She believes she’s found the right employer in the form of chisel-jawed Trevor Graydon of the Sincere Trust Insurance Company.

Millie’s pursuit of Mr Graydon is despite the fact that he merely sees her as one of the boys.

He has old-fashioned sensibilities, and in any case, Millie herself also has a mutual attraction to another boy named Jimmy Smith.

Although she likes Jimmy, Millie feels that, as a paper clip salesman with an overwhelming happy-go-lucky attitude, he is not driven enough to be husband material.

That, however, doesn’t stop Jimmy’s pursuit of Millie.

Through her association with Jimmy, Millie meets flamboyant wealthy Renaissance woman Muzzy Van Hossmere.

Jimmy’s father once worked as Muzzy’s gardener.

Originally from humble means much like Millie, Muzzy tries to convince Millie that true love will lead to happiness, as that is what happened when she met the now dead Mr Van Hossmere who she had no idea was rich.

In other goings-on among this new circle of friends, Miss Dorothy leaves New York without a word to anyone except Mrs Meers.

Thinking this situation rather odd, Millie connects Miss Dorothy’s leaving with that of other girls previously living at the Priscilla Hotel.

With Mr Graydon’s help, Jimmy and Millie set out to try to find out what has happened to Miss Dorothy.

A huge hit on both Broadway and the West End, Thoroughly Modern Millie won six Tony Awards in 2002, including Best Musical.

It also won five Drama Desk Awards the same year, again including Outstanding Musical.

Gainsborough Musical Theatre Society’s production is at Trinity Arts Centre from next Tuesday to Saturday (28th April to 2nd May) at 7.30pm each night plus a Saturday matinee at 2pm.

Tickets priced £12.50 (£10.50 concessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday matinee) are available on 01427 676655.