Anything Goes, Stephen Sondheim Theatre

Back in March, I saw Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Anything Goes, at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre. Since I wasn't able to see Patti LuPone and Howard McGillin perform the show at Lincoln Center in 1987, and I liked Sutton Foster and Joel Grey, I decided that I definitely wanted to see this production, so I got a ticket for a preview. Also I knew that the mezzanine was pretty comfortable with great sight-lines, so I wasn't worried but I brought my binoculars and used them anyway.

I thought the production was really great, but not overwhelmingly so. It felt a little subdued so I would give a B+. Kathleen Marshall's choreography only pops during the title number and in the 11 o'clock number "Blow Gabriel Blow," which are the two most important numbers in the show in any case. That is what lifts this show from a B to a B+. There are many classic Cole Porter songs in this show, mostly from the original score and a few that were interpolated beginning in the last revival. Rest assured all of these songs are performed at least adequately.

Sutton Foster looks wonderful as a blonde and has a great entrance scene, getting to perform "I Get A Kick Out of You" right off the bat. The show overall is much more alive when she is onstage. She plays Reno as a droll, blowsy woman, different from her usual characters, and gets to deliver some great standards.  She does her trademark split and gets to dance in most of her numbers. I can't say for sure but I would assume that she does more actual dancing than any of her Broadway predecessors in the role. Although I am impressed with Patti LuPone's Tony Awards performance from the last revival.

Joel Grey receives second billing as Moonface Martin, Public Enemy #13, and a very inept criminal posing as a minister aboard the ocean liner that most of the show takes place on.  He plays the role like the little Jewish man that he is, but always clever and trying to think ahead with his planning.  His "Friendship" duet with Ms. Foster is pretty good. He has one solo, the odd number "Be Like the Bluebird".  He seems to be in his element when he has a partner to play off of.

Colin Donnell as Billy Crocker is adequate. He's the romantic lead but he is virtually unrecognizable from the ensemble. This is his first principal role on Broadway, coming after his stint as Fiyero in the national tour of Wicked.  He sings and dances very well but he doesn't seem to have much personality or charisma.

Laura Osnes as Hope Harcourt, the object of his affection, fares slightly better. Ms. Osnes is a very talented actress, and she performs Hope as the pretty, standard issue ingénue she was written to be. The role doesn't really have any distinguishing characteristics, and Ms. Osnes plays the role as could be expected given the old-fashioned plot she is trapped in.

Living Broadway legend John McMartin appears as the eccentric, near-sighted, and lovelorn millionaire Elisha Whitney. He is great in all his scenes, providing comic relief.  His object of affection is Jessica Walter as Hope Harcourt's mother Evangeline. Her character is also fairly standard- the wealthy and snobbish dowager who is protective of her daughter and intent on increasing her fortune by marrying off her daughter to the highest bidder.  Ms. Walter excels at playing these types of roles, as any fan of Arrested Development can attest to.

Adam Godley appears as Hope's fiancée, an eccentric British lord whose comic number "The Gypsy In Me" is also a highlight of the show, especially his dancing with Sutton Foster. We get to see an external display of the silliness inside this amusingly befuddled Brit.

Walter Charles and Robert Creighton make a great comic team as the ship's captain and purser respectively. They are the most underrated part of the show. Mr. Charles has had a long and illustrious career and Mr. Creighton's star has been rising in the last few years, with a string of replacement roles in shows such as Chicago and The Lion King.

Jessica Stone gets a few funny bits as Erma, Moonface Martin's sidekick, who passes the time by romancing the ship's sailors.  The ensemble deserves some credit as well. Special mention goes to Joyce Chittick with her deadpan delivery as one of Reno's angels.  William Ryall does a great job in his small role of a minister. The male ensemble get to perform some amazing athletic choreography.

I definitely recommend this show to anyone who wants some good old-fashioned entertainment and has an interest in musical theater history.  I believe the show is on sale through the end of 2011.  I apologize for the delay in posting the review, and I have many more reviews to post as well, which I hope to do over the next few weeks, so keep checking back!