#1
Posted: 4/22/05 at 9:41pm
SWEET CHARITY Review
What happens when a great musical with one of the best scores written for the Broadway stage encounters a production that picks away, scene by scene, at its very heart and soul? The answer is simple – the current staging of “Sweet Charity” playing nightly at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre does just that! Despite all the backstage drama, which everyone has certainly heard by now, the show itself never reaches its full potential. This version of “Sweet Charity” is nothing more than a lollipop, gum smacking good time and is void of any sexual drive or elicit passion that should be oozing from every single line of dialogue. The leading lady certainly has her faults, but is not to blame. While the choreography, in what is a true dance show, is fun and energetic at times – it should be height hitting. This staging’s detrimental fate is indeed its director - Walter Bobbie misses each mark by making this Charity, a dance hall hostess, entirely too sweet and not nearly sour enough.
The story is the classic Neil Simon, Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields, and Bob Fosse musical that fans have come to know and love. Charity Hope Valentine (Christina Applegate) continues to have faith despite apparently endless disappointments at its hands. Unfortunately, that key quality lacks the motor to drive this vehicle. Charity hopes she will finally meet the nice young man to romance her away from her sleazy life. In this time capsule of late 1960’s New York City, Charity meets Vittorio Vidal (Paul Schoeffler) at The Picadilly Club where the girls wear blue feathers as hats and dance the famous Rich Man’s Frug. Choreographer Wayne Cilento does his best work here, but falters shamelessly during the Rhythm of Life. During this religious ceremony for hippies, Rheett George as Daddy screeches out in rather unpleasant tones one of the biggest disappointments of the entire show.
The other being the absolutely sexless version of Big Spender! In a song that should be reminiscent of “Chicago’s” Cell Block Tango, here Bobbie & Cilento create an atmosphere so simplistic in nature, and so unbelievable (the chorus is facing the back wall during most of the number) that one wonder just what they are in for. It becomes blatantly clear that Applegate was asked to play Charity minus a libido, but full of confectioners sugar. That she does very well and is a very loveable and well received for it. But when asked to strut her stuff, her broken foot hurts the production like a lead balloon. Applegate sits by and watches her two friends Nickie and Helene (Janine LaManna and Kyra DaCosta in thankless roles) dance a duet that is so obviously a trio. And even though the program stated “I’m a Brass Band,” the definition in this production has changed. Applegate’s Charity is merely a sideline cheerleader as the band marches on. And although Applegate’s stage partner Denis O’Hare does nice work, it is hardly memorable and the same shame goes to Ernie Sabella as Herman – what a waste!
If Fran and Barry Wiessler wanted to strike gold with “Sweet Charity” the way they did with “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Chicago” they should have gone back to the drawing board yet again for this one. To see what Susan Stroman or Jerry Mitchell could have done with a musical like this we may never know. But one thing here is certainly obvious, this “Sweet Charity” needs more fixing than the national debt.
What happens when a great musical with one of the best scores written for the Broadway stage encounters a production that picks away, scene by scene, at its very heart and soul? The answer is simple – the current staging of “Sweet Charity” playing nightly at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre does just that! Despite all the backstage drama, which everyone has certainly heard by now, the show itself never reaches its full potential. This version of “Sweet Charity” is nothing more than a lollipop, gum smacking good time and is void of any sexual drive or elicit passion that should be oozing from every single line of dialogue. The leading lady certainly has her faults, but is not to blame. While the choreography, in what is a true dance show, is fun and energetic at times – it should be height hitting. This staging’s detrimental fate is indeed its director - Walter Bobbie misses each mark by making this Charity, a dance hall hostess, entirely too sweet and not nearly sour enough.
The story is the classic Neil Simon, Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields, and Bob Fosse musical that fans have come to know and love. Charity Hope Valentine (Christina Applegate) continues to have faith despite apparently endless disappointments at its hands. Unfortunately, that key quality lacks the motor to drive this vehicle. Charity hopes she will finally meet the nice young man to romance her away from her sleazy life. In this time capsule of late 1960’s New York City, Charity meets Vittorio Vidal (Paul Schoeffler) at The Picadilly Club where the girls wear blue feathers as hats and dance the famous Rich Man’s Frug. Choreographer Wayne Cilento does his best work here, but falters shamelessly during the Rhythm of Life. During this religious ceremony for hippies, Rheett George as Daddy screeches out in rather unpleasant tones one of the biggest disappointments of the entire show.
The other being the absolutely sexless version of Big Spender! In a song that should be reminiscent of “Chicago’s” Cell Block Tango, here Bobbie & Cilento create an atmosphere so simplistic in nature, and so unbelievable (the chorus is facing the back wall during most of the number) that one wonder just what they are in for. It becomes blatantly clear that Applegate was asked to play Charity minus a libido, but full of confectioners sugar. That she does very well and is a very loveable and well received for it. But when asked to strut her stuff, her broken foot hurts the production like a lead balloon. Applegate sits by and watches her two friends Nickie and Helene (Janine LaManna and Kyra DaCosta in thankless roles) dance a duet that is so obviously a trio. And even though the program stated “I’m a Brass Band,” the definition in this production has changed. Applegate’s Charity is merely a sideline cheerleader as the band marches on. And although Applegate’s stage partner Denis O’Hare does nice work, it is hardly memorable and the same shame goes to Ernie Sabella as Herman – what a waste!
If Fran and Barry Wiessler wanted to strike gold with “Sweet Charity” the way they did with “Annie Get Your Gun” and “Chicago” they should have gone back to the drawing board yet again for this one. To see what Susan Stroman or Jerry Mitchell could have done with a musical like this we may never know. But one thing here is certainly obvious, this “Sweet Charity” needs more fixing than the national debt.
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