I saw the show tonight and absolutely loved it.
Gotta disagree with those who say it's not sexy. I found it VERY sexy, which IMHO, is very appropriate.
My father, who was stationed in Alameda during WWII, told me stories of being on shore patrol and hauling sailors out of bars and brothels in San Francisco. We have been fed 70 years of propaganda that these were wholesome, all-American boys just anxious to make the world safe for democracy and get back to their girls back home. Not necessarily true. These were horny men at their sexual peak, lonely and away from home for the first time.
Of course Chip and Hildy have sex, as do Claire and Ossie. What made 'Come Up To My Place' so much fun for me, was that Chip seems to be under Hildy's spell, having way more fun than I've seen in previous productions. (As previously mentioned Lea DeLaria and Jesse Tyler Ferguson generated about as much heat as a brother and sister)
And, while we're on the subject, am I the only one who found the whole cast to be hot as hell? Those men in sailor suits? Whew! (Christopher Vo, especially noteworthy, IMO).
Lastly, in the '98 revival, Lea DeLaria was given the star bow, here it goes to Tony Yazbeck, which I feel is more appropriate, since Gabey is the linchpin of the story. For me it was interesting that the curtain calls tonight were not overly choreographed, much in keeping with how they might've been in 1944.
Overall, I thought it was a solid hit. I just hope they can fill that barn of a theatre 8 times a week,
'Our whole family shouts. It comes from us livin' so close to the railroad tracks'
