Anything Goes or How to Succeed... ?

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 10:53pm

I will be in the city this week and I'm having trouble deciding between the two revivals this year. Responses to both seem to have been pretty mixed, so what do you all think?

Updated On: 3/22/11 at 10:53 PM

[Pippin]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 10:55pm

having seen Anything goes, I would go with How to Succeed.

after all, it is a pulitzer prize winning show, and the book still works, whereas Anything Goes' book is very dated, and kinda racist.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:20pm

Neither. See something else. I just got back from Anything Goes tonight, and it is SUCH a bore. How to Succeed last week was equally boring. Each show has one thing going for it. How to Succeed has Daniel Radcliffe (his charm, not so much his acting/singing), and Anything Goes has Laura Osnes, who is giving a subdued but beautiful performance. Honestly, I thought the direction in How to Succeed was bad, while the direction in Anything Goes just didn't exist. She did NOTHING with the show at all. And as a good friend put it regarding the updated book to Anything Goes: "What is the point of writing a new book if you aren't going to excise the EXTREME RACISM???".

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:22pm

I'll probably see both eventually, but Anything Goes at least looks decent to me. I like Sutton (miscast though she might be) and tickets will be easier to come by than for How to Succeed..., I think.

Any suggestions on what else to see, bjh?

[Kalimba]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:23pm

So far Anything Goes has been my favorite show of the season. I more or less liked everything about the production (sans "Friendship"). I'll be seeing How to Succeed next month.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:30pm

Any suggestions on what else to see, bjh?

It depends on what you've already seen of course. My current recommendations have been Good People and Peter and the Starcatcher (though of course one of those is a play and one is an off-Broadway show). If you're looking for a Broadway musical, go with Book of Mormon.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:37pm

I should clarify, I suppose. I'm seeing Good People tomorrow afternoon and Book of Mormon (hoping for lottery or standing room to work out...) tomorrow evening. I'm also hoping to see Priscilla and Catch Me (for which I already have a ticket) this week as well. Thursday night is free and I thought How to Succeed and Anything Goes were my best two options for that night. As far as what else to see, I always love new recommendations, and would see anything that is new this season. I'd also add that I am just beginning to see plays on Broadway (Good People tomorrow will be my first), so I'm much pickier with the plays I see than the musicals. For that reason, I'd be more likely to go and enjoy one of the musical revivals this season, flawed or not, than a play I'm not dying to see. If that makes sense....

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/22/11 at 11:59pm

^Totally. I would say, though, that if you don't mind going downtown, Peter and the Starcatcher is the best thing playing in New York right now, Broadway or otherwise.
Updated On: 3/22/11 at 11:59 PM

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 12:04am

Per your recommendation, I checked, and it's sold out for the whole week I'm there. Ugh!

[theatergeek2817]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 2:53am

I would go with Anything Goes. The music is stellar and that Act 1 tap number is worth the price of the ticket

Sutton is NOT miscast! She gives a stellar triple threat performance. And the production handled the racist elements the best they can. It is still a period piece and back then that was considered funny and I think Kathleen and the entire cast have done their best job to make the show as PC as they could, given the material.

[ooliveros]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 9:15am

Pick "How To Succeed..." over "Anything Goes"

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 9:33am

And the production handled the racist elements the best they can. It is still a period piece and back then that was considered funny and I think Kathleen and the entire cast have done their best job to make the show as PC as they could, given the material.

Well considering that it's a new book, they could have just gotten rid of it as it doesn't add anything to the plot...

[WWF the Musical]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 10:27am

Anything Goes' rampant racism (must not have been intelligible when Patti Lupone did it): Sounds like a last ditch effort to throw something up against Sutton's amazing performance and her hit show.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 10:38am

Can only comment on "Anything Goes," since I'm not seeing "How to Succeed" until late April.

As for "Anything," I was seriously disappointed. It's just listless. Yes, two big numbers liven things up briefly, Sutton is fine and both Laura Osnes and Adam Godley have very strong moments, but I thought most of it just had no energy.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:00am

Anything Goes' rampant racism (must not have been intelligible when Patti Lupone did it): Sounds like a last ditch effort to throw something up against Sutton's amazing performance and her hit show.

How does this have anything to do with Sutton? I honestly had no problem with her. I didn't LOVE her, but I wasn't put off by her in any way. And that the show is/will be a hit remains to be seen.

[walt1896]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:02am

A half-dozen, strong moments (ie numbers) in a period piece with thee classic score. Count me in.

[WWF the Musical]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:38am

"How does this have anything to do with Sutton? I honestly had no problem with her. I didn't LOVE her, but I wasn't put off by her in any way. And that the show is/will be a hit remains to be seen."

I was referring to all multiple comments citing racism that are only appearing now. It still is essentially the 1987 book with revisions. And, when the show and Sutton were announced the buzz wasn't, "Oh, what a racist revival!" It was "OMG she is so miscast!" (or worse, "They have gone from talk of Reba and Catherine Zeta Jones to Sutton, talk about a drop in quality and settling.") Or, "Another Roundabout flop!" It still remains to be seen but signs are pointing to a hit despite the uphill battle for the show and Sutton. (A show now combating citations of racism)

For instance, the excellent featured actress, Laura Osnes is cited as the strong point of Anything Goes, against the charming strong point of ...Business, the charming central star, Daniel Radcliffe (minus his singing and acting!) That is an example of the uphill battle against certain opinions faced by the charming and dynamic, triple-threat central star of Anything Goes. The arc of progression is now generally past, "OMG she is so miscast!" and may just quite possibly continue progressing all the way to "And the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for 2011 goes to..."

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:50am

I always find it interesting at how the opinions here are all over the place. I saw Anything Goes last Friday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've seen Sutton Foster in numerous shows (beginning with the Annie revival) and thought this is the best performance she has given (IMO). She looked like a true leading lady. I loved the choreography, especially the Act 1 closer. I could not believe how much I was grinning throughout the show. It was wonderful! I saw the 1987 revival shortly after moving to NYC and as much as I enjoyed that, I think I enjoyed this present revival even more.

I didn't particularly like the How to Succeed revival in the 90s, but I'm willing to give the current production a shot.

Updated On: 3/23/11 at 11:50 AM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:59am

But I don't like that you are implying that I am citing racism as a way to bash the show. I have no reason to bash the show. I actually LIKE Anything Goes, but I do think that if you are going to update the book, you should update it so that ALL of the bad parts are removed. I have nothing against this production personally. And I am not one of those people who automatically hates it because it's a Roundabout show. In fact, I was one of very few people rooting for the Pajama Game over Sweeney Todd back in 2006. Also, 110 in the Shade was one of my favorite revivals in recent memory. So to imply that I am just searching for reasons to hate on the show is ridiculous. I saw the show last night; I din't enjoy it. Enough said.

For what it's worth, Laura Osnes is by far the best thing about the revival. And you may feel that Sutton is "charming and dynamic", but I (and others) do not feel that way. Do I think she was bad? No. But did she make an impression on me? Not at all. I would not refer to her as "dynamic". That's your personal opinion.

[WWF the Musical]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 12:49pm

Reasons of un-excised racism were cited as one reason to see ... Business over Anything Goes. (By more than one poster.) The 1987 book was a revised book that this 2011 production also uses with revisions. Giving one of the reasons to see ... Business instead of Anything Goes as being Anything Goes should have gotten rid of all offensive references is reaching (in my opinion — I won't say "enough said.")

As for the other reasons that led you to dislike this production despite liking Anything Goes, that is indeed your opinion. And, I and others have stated opposite opinions. Thus, we have all provided the opinions the original poster asked for. I didn't say you were against Roundabout productions either. I said that was in the general buzz of the uphill battle this production definitely has faced. And, only time will tell how many are in the camp that thinks Sutton is charming and dynamic.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 1:31pm

Reasons of un-excised racism were cited as one reason to see ... Business over Anything Goes. (By more than one poster.)

Actually, only one poster said that. Pippin said that. I said to see neither. It was not a reason to see one over the other. I disliked both. Just to clarify.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 3:02pm

It's not the ideal role for Sutton, but it was never the ideal role for Patti either. I loved Sutton in it, as I love her in (almost) everything, but Laura Osnes was definitely the standout performance for me.

[April Saul]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 4:48pm

I haven't seen Anything Goes, but with How to Succeed, the sexism is still quite intact. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it anyway, but that was part of the era in which it's set...is the Anything Goes' racism along those lines?

[hyperbole_and_a_half]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 6:01pm

Anything Goes is racist and How to Succeed is sexist, but at Broadway prices the real crime of both revivals is that they're dreadfully boring.

[Sauja]

Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:24pm

"having seen Anything goes, I would go with How to Succeed," said Pippin.

Oof. When I read the first message, my first thought was, Having seen How to Succeed, I would go with Anything Goes.

Just got home for How to Succeed and it's a listless production. Everyone seems off the mark in a way that leads me to believe the real fault has to lie with the director. And at least to my ear, it sounded as though Radcliffe was losing his voice.

The best performance tellingly came from the understudy who was on for Rosemary. It was a thoroughly charmless evening at the theater. The jokes mostly failed to land, the music sounded tinny, the sets were at best unattractive, and yet it still got a raucous ovation at the end. Either my take was wrong or people were just super excited to see Harry Potter.

It's worth noting that my friend who joined me enjoyed it considerably more, I think because she didn't know the show. Even so, her take was, "It was okay. Daniel Radcliffe is adorable."

Most out to sea are Tammy Blanchard and Christopher Hanke who are giving downright strange performances. I've liked both in other things and was very surprised by what they were putting forth since I think each has more than enough talent to have nailed these roles.

Hell, go see The Book of Mormon twice. It's just that good.