rOcKS @ 'Finian's Rainbow'

I'm gonna do my best to keep this short & sweet.

I felt like the biggest problem with the show is also its biggest asset. The show is old-fashioned. So at times, you feel like you're watching a real old-fashioned Broadway musical (thanks mainly to the wonderful score and gorgeous orchestrations.) But at other times, you can almost hear the show creak. It's dated and it shows.

The production itself is fine but, truthfully, it felt a bit stale and "blah" to me. Its pretty to look at and lovely in many ways but I found myself ADMIRING it more than LOVING it. The direction can be blamed for this, I guess. Some moments work splendidly (the opening number, the ballet, and If This Isn't Love are gorgeous) but others feel stale and just polite-applause-worthy.

The majority of the cast do the best with what they're given (it felt like many of them hadn't fully developed their characters yet). Fitzgerald, Norton, Cooper, and White are entertaining. Baldwin has a beautiful, beautiful voice and Jackson is playing the role (sadly) the same way he plays every role.

I liked the set (even if it dwarfed the stage), the costumes are gorgeous, the lighting was lovely, and the choreography was excellent.

This isn't a bad show; its just one I admired more than loved. And that's about the best way I can put it. It feels like a museum piece more than the lively revival it should and could have been. If I'm being 100% honest, I doubt I'll remember I saw it come next week.

**1/2 out of ****

Updated On: 10/23/09 at 10:58 PM

"and Jackson is playing the role (sadly) the same way he plays every role."

thank you for saying this. you are 100% correct.

Sounds exactly what most audiences want to see.
I haven't seen many comments on the actress playing
Susan the Silent.
Sorry I don't know her name.

"I haven't seen many comments on the actress playing
Susan the Silent.
Sorry I don't know her name."

Alina Faye is her name, and she's a professional ballet dancer. I thought she was great and a very lovely dancer.

As for the rest of the show, I really loved it. Sure, it's old fashioned and maybe a little hokey but it was a fun time and the production itself is great. Kate Baldwin is lovely and her voice is absolutely beautiful. Other highlights for me were Christopher Fitzgerald as Og and Chuck Cooper as Bill Rawkins. Fitzgerald and Cooper are probably turning in the strongest performances of the bunch as of right now and I could possibly see another Tony nom for Chris Fitzgerald. I do like Cheyenne Jackson and he sounds really great singing this type of music but in general I have to agree with most of you...that he plays everything pretty much the same. I'm not sure whether this is his fault, how he's directed, or a little bit of both.

RE: Cheyenne playing the same all the time. In the three shows I've seen him in, the character itself was kind of loopy. I'm hoping he gets a shot at something like Carousel -- you can't play loopy there by any stretch.

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ROCKS - Are you just a 17 yr. old fan of the contemporary teeny bopper musicals? I'm actually asking only because your review doesn't seem fair & balanced, at all.

You need to understand that critcizing & reviewing an "old-fashioned" musical is much much much different than talking about how amazing Wicked was or how mind blowing Next To Normal was. I almost ger the feeling that you went in with a negative opinion...

It's a cute show with beautiful material. Probably just too "old-fashioned" for your tastes. So what? Learn to appreciate those older musicals.

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Go ROCKS!

I am probably going to check this show out in the next week or so. I saw the revival a few years ago at the Irish Rep and was moved greatly by this Old Fashioned, hokey and yes, dated show. The wonderful lyrics themselves are a reason to see It.

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Its not a matter of a definite truth. That is YOUR opinion and you are entitled to it. I happen to disagree and I'm entitled to do so...

I was going to post a review of my own, but you just said it all for me, rOcKs!