As an excuse for a lot of fun songs, variations on the Charleston danced with gusto, burlesque jokes and skits tying together shipboard romances, this production of Cole Porter's old standby needs no excuses. Though the first part takes too long to establish who loves whom (manager Billy Crocker loves Hope, who's engaged to Lord Evelyn, who's attracted to headliner-showgirl Reno Sweeney), there's enough comic schtick by master-of-same Bob Moak to make a trans-Atlantic voyage a "Bon Voyage." John Smitherman's tenor is "Delovely," wooing Hope (rather too-retiring Joleen Wilkinson) behind the back of her mother, sophisticated Mellissa Kenworthy. Blake Walton almost rivals Moak as a Moonface, yet Walton's dutiful English lord has enough sex appeal to made Reno's propositioning him ("Let's Misbehave") convincing. Reno, Billy, and Moonface's corny "Friendship" highlights Act I, as "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" does Act II. Here Ann Morrison's full vocal range and star personality reinforce the romantic plot. Her comic counterpart, Moak, tweet-tweets "Be Like the Bluebird" with amazing straight face.
Politically incorrect Chinamen are among the enthusiastic supporting players who can hardly be distinguished from one another. Elizabeth Palmer as chorus girl Virtue, for instance, looks like a twin of Jillian Johnson's moll, Bonnie. Except for a ship's captain in bellbottoms, costumes seem genuine. Music falls short on volume and resonance, despite the keyboard being heavy early on. Sets are see-worthy.
Opened:
January 15, 2002
Ended:
March 10, 2002
Country:
USA
State:
Florida
City:
Sarasota
Company/Producers:
Coastal Theater Productions (Robert Ennis Turoff, producer)
Theater Type:
Regional; Dinner Theater
Theater:
Golden Apple Dinner Theater
Theater Address:
25 North Pineapple Avenue
Phone:
(941) 366-5454
Running Time:
2 hrs, 30 min
Genre:
Musical Comedy
Director:
Will Mackenzie; Music Dir: Ben Bedenbaugh
Review:
Cast:
Ann Morrison, Bob Moak, John D. Smitherman, Blake Walton, Jillian Johnson, Joleen Wilkinson, Meliss Kenworthy, Richard Bigelow, Jay Strauss, Charlene Clark, Elizabeth Palmer, Dewayne Barrett, Laverne Decker, Joey Panek; Musicians: Ben Bedenbaugh, John Januszewski
Technical:
Choreog.: Charlene Clark; Sets: Jan Van Wart; Costumes: Rebecca Graves; Stage Mgr.: Forrest Richards
Other Critics:
VENICE GONDOLIER Kim Cool +
Miscellaneous:
The musical is the original 1934 version, not the revised 1987 one.
Critic:
Marie J. Kilker
Date Reviewed:
January 2002
