Jongyoon Choi’s score is beautifully suited to the piece. It sits firmly in the musical theatre cannon with jazz, pop and swing references that make it feel familiar and engaging. The cast are all particularly good, but it is Ailsa Davidson, as Marie Curie, and Chrissie Bhima, as her close friend Anna Kowalska, who shine. Their performances are at the heart of the narrative, and they are both perfectly suited to the task at hand.

Rose Montgomery’s set design is a masterclass in the power of simplicity: a rotating staircase on wheels becomes Curie’s laboratory, a classroom in the Sorbonne, a factory staircase, the outside of a building, and a symbolic representation of the passing of time. When mixed with Sarah Meadows’ energetic direction and Joanna Goodwin’s choreography it is effectively evocative and impactful.

For those who look at the (uninspiring) title and dismiss this show, do so at your peril. This is a confident, bold, educational, and emotionally engaging story about a woman who deserves to be remembered and lauded. Whilst this may lack any really detailed depth, there’s enough story and emotion to give you more than a cursory insight into her life and challenges.

This is a welcome addition to the West End and to musical theatre.