Last weekend I saw Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Anything Goes for the second time. You can read my review from the the first time around here. "What was the difference this second time around?," skeptical or budget-conscious readers might ask. And the answer to that question is that there were two understudies on in supporting roles: Linda Mugleston was playing Mrs. Evangeline Harcourt, and Josh Franklin was playing Billy Crocker. I enjoyed the chance to see different takes on the roles, having already seen the original cast perform. Also having already seen these two performers in other shows, I was looking forward to seeing them take on principal roles in this production.
The star and central focus of the show is still Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney, who has nearly all the familiar songs in the show's score. Personally, I believe that her best number is "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" in Act II, which really rouses the house. The performance of the title number is also very spirited, with the full cast tapping along.
Joel Grey is amusing as Moonface Martin, in a semi-constant state of befuddlement with occasional bright ideas for scams and solutions. I don't have another actor's portrayal to compare, but I would be interested in seeing different takes on the role.
I thought Josh Franklin did a wonderful job as Billy Crocker. He seemed to have a bit more personality and charisma than Colin Donnell, and did a better job at selling his numbers. He stood out from the chorus in a way Mr. Donnell couldn't quite manage.
Linda Mugleston does the best she can with the archetypal role of a patrician matron, marrying her daughter to the highest bidder to regain the family fortune lost in the 1928 stock market crash. It was great to see her in a larger role again, as I really enjoyed her performance as Ruth Sherwood in Wonderful Town back in 2005. I hope that she gets the chance to play more leading roles on Broadway.
Still strong in support are John McMartin, Jessica Stone, Walter Charles, and Robert Creighon, all of whom are quite funny and mostly underused. In the ensemble, Joyce Chittick stands out as "Virtue," Reno's low-voiced Angel with her eye on Moonface Martin. Ms. Chittick is also a former cast member of Wonderful Town, which was also directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, who repeats her duties here.
The show is helped by a great physical production: Derek McLane's sets wonderfully convey the deck of a luxury ocean liner and various staterooms as well. I am especially impressed by the moving elements. There are a few room cutaways which move on and off, but parts of the deck move inward and outward as well. Peter Kaczorowski's lighting adds to the mood as well, with many windows which light in different colors over the course of the show, usually in shades of pink or blue. Martin Pakledinaz provides the many gowns Sutton Foster and her Angels wear over the course of the show.
The show is currently selling out with an average ticket price in the $100 range, so tickets are fairly hard to come by, but if you do get a chance to see this production, I would highly recommend it, as it is quite fun and hearing a Cole Porter score with a fairly large orchestra is always a must for any theater fan.
Showing posts with label jessica walter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jessica walter. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
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!
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!
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