BWW Reviews: Hole in the Wall's ANYTHING GOES Is a Pleasure Cruise on Choppy Seas

Anything Goes
Music & Lyrics by Cole Porter
Original book by P.G, Wodehose, Guy Bolton, Howard Lindsay & Russell Crouse
New Book by Timothy Crouse & John Weidman
Directed by the Brothers Kegler
Running at Hole in the Wall Theatre, New Britain, CT through August 10
www.hitw.org

Cole Porter's 1934 classic musical Anything Goes is a musical comedy luxury liner fully-booked with kooky characters, laugh lines and, most importantly, the songs of Cole Porter. When people say, "They don't write 'em like they used to," they could easily be thinking of Anything Goes. With songs like "Friendship," "Blow, Gabriel, Blow," "I Get a Kick Out of You," "All Through the Night," "Easy to Love," and, of course, the title song, one would be hard-pressed to name more than a handful of other musicals that have given us so many standards.

Hole in the Wall Theater in New Britain sets sail with a revival of Anything Goes that, although not entirely sea-worthy, stays afloat enough to be entertaining. Directed by The Brothers Kegler (Scott Stephen and Shane) and choreographed by Taryn Kegler, this family-helmed production vacillates from smooth sailing to occasionally clunky.

Any production of this Porter classic swells or sinks with its Reno Sweeney. It's a tough role to fill with a trio of indelible dames associated with the role: Ethel Merman, Patti LuPone and, most recently, Sutton Foster in the 2011 revival. The sassy, brassy showgirl in this edition of Anything Goes is entrusted to Jillian Dion.

Dion has a great time with the part, cracking wise and playing with the tunes. Her comfortable lower register allows her to belt the songs written for Merman, while her more nasal upper register serves the songs less well. The Brothers Kegler's blocking ill-serves Ms. Dion in some of the musical sequences, particularly "I Get a Kick Out of You," her declaration of love to Billy Crocker, that manages to have her not look at him during the entire song.

As Billy Crocker, Calvin Gee, Jr. renders a bit of a bland performance. The part must be difficult to play as Crocker has to be at once love-struck to make the object of his affection swoon, make Reno lust, be mousy around his boss and seem like Public Enemy #1 to everyone else on the boat. Dashing and personable, Gee seems tailor-made for the part, but he doesn't quite find the charismatic center to the role. When given character bits that allow Crocker to disguise himself as a West Indian sailor or an erstwhile British lord, Gee is great fun. His modest singing voice needs greater projection, although he handles his ballads "All Through the Night" and "Easy to Love" well enough.

Vocal uncertainty is an across-the-board concern in the production, with various performers rendered unable to be heard distinctly over the piano/drum combo. The one actor who manages to sail over all is Nate Rumney as the Purser. His siren-like vocal performance is literally painful to listen to at times. He is truly the loudest human being I have ever heard. I think it was meant to be funny, but musical comedy should never leave audiences with their ears bleeding.

Some members of the ensemble struggle to stay on-key here and there. Aside from Dion, the charming Liz Swan as Hope Harcourt, the funny Joseph Knipper as Moonface Martin, and the hilarious Michele Covert as the sexpot Erma are most ship-shape in their singing and acting. The strongest singer in the cast, who pretty much steals the show in his bonkers rendition of "The Gypsy in Me," is the show-stopping Matthew Jones as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Mainly in non-musical performances, Johnny Peifer, Scott Hoffman and Barb Gallow all deliver the goods and the laughs.

The choreography by Taryn Kegler is surprisingly light for such a propulsive score. While not as much a tap show as 42nd Street, Anything Goes provides a lot of ample opportunity for hot-stepping on the high seas. The big tap routine for the title song proves a bit leaden for such a fun number and the rave-up "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" finds the gospel fervor tamed by land-locked performers. The finest choreographic number comes in a simple Gene Kelly-esque dance with a mop performed by Matthew Horowitz to the tune of "There Will Always Be a Lady Fair."

The set, designed by one of The Brothers Kegler, is serviceable, yet uninviting. The lighting ranges from suitably bright to unsuitably dim with many actors carrying their scenes in shadow. The costumes designed by NJaye Olds are across-the-board great, as are the wigs by Joel Silvestri. The only misfire in that department? Reno Sweeney would never set sail, sink or swim, without a top-of-the-line wig - no limp locks for that lady. Throw her a sartorial life preserver and let that lady catch a 1930s wave.

Photo of Scott Hoffman, Calvin Gee, Jr. and Nate Rumney by Lauren Dubois.

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