Stephen Schwartz’ 1976 musical The Baker’s Wife is famous because it sank, but not without a trace. Even though the musical itself never made it to Broadway, the Act I finale, “Meadowlark”, became an almost instant classic of the repertoire, and remains so today. The musical has been revived many times over the years, always with limited success. But this new production at the 180-seat Menier Chocolate Factory reimagines the musical as a small, intimate, and immersive show.

Given that audiences are most likely attending because they know the song “Meadowlark”, there’s a lot of pressure on Lucie Jones in the title role, Geneviève. An established West End star (Wicked; Les Misérables), we already know Jones has one of the best voices in musical theatre. But it’s hard not to see Jones’ performance here as definitive — confused and vulnerable, Jones goes for authentic, small-scale storytelling instead of loud money notes. It’s the only time I’ve heard this song and actually understood it.

This small-scale approach also applies to the 9-piece band (including accordion), and costumed musicians sometimes pop out to play on stage, too. Directed by Gordon Greenberg, the idea of the set (Paul Farnsworth) is that all four walls of the theatre totally immerse us in the remote French village of ‘Concorde’, with some audience seats literally on stage in the café, joining the cast in a glass of wine.

The show has lots of charm, and a few cracking tunes. What this production is missing, though, is sex. Based on the film La Femme du Boulanger (1938), the entire story is about female sexuality and the power of lust, neither of which seems to come through in this cutesy version. In this version of the tale, the villagers seem more keen for bread than anything else; true to the title, but missing the point.

Playing at the Menier Chocolate Factory 6 July — 14 September 2024.