The Mambo Kings in SF--My Review from 5/28

[tkts]

Posted: 5/31/05 at 3:04pm

Let’s start with the fact that I have not seen the original movie so everything was a surprise to me. That being said I’ll give everyone the “spoiler alert” right now. Please stop reading here as reading on may spoil your full enjoyment of “The Mambo Kings”.

Let’s start with the good:

Beautiful set design and lighting—Green bamboo and leaves make up the majority of the set. Nicely done. The orchestra is on the second level on stage. Did someone pass a law that says orchestra must be on stage these days?

Wonderful dancing sequences—the chorus is wonderful and has a non signing number almost every time they change venues. The majority of the action takes place in night clubs.

The second act is solid—With the exception of the ending. Combine the ending laments after Nestor is killed into one scene and cut 10 minutes.

The “I Love Lucy” sequence is brilliant—they splice together original Lucy footage with the cast on a TV that flies in. The Mambo Kings made an actual appearance on Lucy.

And the bad:

The first act is a mess—slow beginning, and what’s with the ending of the act?

I have no idea why they need a narrator—She (Albita, that’s her real name in the Playbill) was hard to understand and really only had one job to tell us where we were. “We are now in Havana” and then she sang something. Not needed.

No songs are memorable except the one they sang something like four times—I got tired of “Beautiful Maria of my Soul”

Two hour and 45 minute running time -- Cut 20 minutes.

First act finale is either bad or they really messed up—the first act just ended, we sat there and the curtain fell. I think Maria was supposed to fly off ala Nine. But I’m not sure.

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For those of you who don’t know, The Mambo Kings is based upon the true story of two brothers from Cuba. They come to America to find fame and fortune after one brother is left heartbroken and is threatened in Cuba. Esai Morales plays Casar, the older brother and Jamie Camil plays Nestor, the love sick younger brother. Camil has the better voice of the two. Both do a very good job in their roles. Cristina Noll was great as Casars’ girlfriend. Dennis Staroselsky provides the comic relief and as Spamalot says you simply must have a Jew. David Allen Grier does well with his limited material. He has one song reminiscent of a Billy Flynn number from Chicago.

As I said, no songs were memorable. They did a mix or traditional Broadway and Latin music. I purchased the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels CD days before this and it is much more memorable. I have a worry about if the required changes will be made. Looking over the Playbill I see that someone named Arne Glimcher is the director. He also wrote the lyrics, the book, produced and directed the original film and listed NO stage credits. He might be too close to see what we see.

If the “Standing ovation” quota means anything, I counted 4 people who stood at the end and I was in row M. The back orchestra sides were empty.

Is it a total loss, no, but it needs work. That being said, it blows the hell out of any jukebox musicals. I’m not sure if it’s trying to be a show like Nine or Caroline or something like West Side Story or Fiddler. They need to figure it out soon.

[justme2]

Posted: 5/31/05 at 4:00pm

Thanks for the review tkts!

I plan on seeing this show before it leaves SF. Let's hope the creative team has the time to tighten it up and find it's "voice" for Broadway.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 5/31/05 at 5:49pm

I saw it last Saturday. I agree with your post but allow me to add that both male leads are mediocre singers of the "Rex Harrison" school.

[tkts]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 11:03am

I agree completly.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/02/DDGP4D190V1.DTL

[tkts]

Posted: 6/2/05 at 11:04am

From the San Jose review....."This ``Mambo Kings' needs a major overhaul before it congas onto Broadway in July or it's destined to flop there. Because as of now, the heat is definitely not on."

Everyone is in agreement.

San Jose Mercury review....registration required

Updated On: 6/2/05 at 11:04 AM