Robin and the 7 Hoods

[dented146]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 3:50am

This is the second year in a row that the Old Globe in San Diego has presented a new musical based on a well known movie with a book written by Rupert Holmes. Last years First Wives Club with an original score was pretty dismal. Robin uses a song book by the brilliant Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn.

Needless to say it contains wonderful songs that are still wonderful fifty years later. And many,but not all, fit smoothly into the story. Holmes has done a much better job this year. This is an entertaining piece of work with a terrific cast. It's good but it's not great. The first act moves too slowly and some of the humor is a bit flat. The second act is much better.

Ironically, it's the choreography which elevates this production.
Taking nothing away from the smooth performances of Eric Schneider as Robbo and Amy Spanger as Alana, the star of this show is Casey Nicholaw who does the choreography and direction.

I felt that Kelly Sullivan simply shines as Marion. This was my first time seeing her. She was great. Period.

The costumes were a lot of fun and against what was a rather bleak set consisting of nothing but the grey facing of the first few floors of a 50's highrise, they spice up the show. It's like looking at a jewel sitting on black velvet. It works well although the styles looked more 50's than early 60's. ( I'm old enough to remember the difference).

This musical, they claim, is coming to Broadway. I have seen much worse on Broadway. But it is difficult for me to imagine this as a major hit.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 4:23am

It is such a piece of its time and, for my money, the best of the Rat Pack films, better than Ocean's Eleven, because they four are really trying to be "in the film" as opposed to just having a wild party.

I remember when it came out, it played well with auds of the time because of nifty things like the transforming Sally Ann club/gambling joint ("Mister Booze" is SUCH a catchy tune).

And Peter Falk played such a great campy gangster. Oh, and Victor Bouno. Just great fun entertainment. Totally mindless.

"The cornerstone is three by three and the Sheriff is six feet tall..."

"We could fold him twice..."

"That'd woik...."


But without someone as superbly talented as Sammy David Jr., the show would suck carpets.

[Huey's Pop]

Posted: 7/18/10 at 10:36pm

I saw it Saturday night, and the book needs a great deal of help.

[newintown]

Posted: 7/19/10 at 10:30am

I was sent the book to this recently and have to say it's one of the worst I've ever read - witless, unfunny, pointless, vulgar, shapeless. Really some of the most amateurish stuff I've ever seen. It made me wonder who was driving this vehicle; it made the original movie script (far from good) look brilliant.