BWW Reviews: Tony-Winning ANYTHING GOES Revival Is The Tops in O.C.

Who would have thought that a silly, old-fashioned, 80-year-old musical comedy can still, to this day, produce such rousing, exuberant cheers?

Well, okay... sure. The 1934 Broadway musical farce ANYTHING GOES is chock-full of timeless Cole Porter musical gems that are as de-lovely to hear today as they were when first sung during their heydays. But if you're going to mount yet another new revival of a show that countless small-town community theaters and high schools themselves have churned out on a regular basis, then a dazzling, fresh coat of yowza---along with a bit of 21st Century tinkering here and there---better be on the menu. Oh, and it also helps if you assemble an army of comically-gifted, tap-tastic talents steered by none other than Kathleen Marshall at the helm to sail it through the rough waters of a modern-day theater audience.

Well, lucky for us all, that is exactly what went into the latest big-budget Broadway production of the charming musical comedy, which eventually went on to win the 2011 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. And now---finally---after almost a year of touring North America (including an early stop at the Ahmanson Theatre a few freeways away), the Roundabout Theatre Company's buoyant production of ANYTHING GOES has finally docked its madcap ship of lunatics at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa for a shamefully-short one-week engagement through September 29.

Completely winsome and endearingly charming, Marshall's re-visit aboard the tune-happy S.S. American---featuring an updated libretto by Timothy Crouse and John Weidman---is an entertaining voyage through farcical entanglements and über-complicated shenanigans. Like an amped-up screwball comedy, ANYTHING GOES criss-crosses lots of silly, out-there vignettes sandwiched in between popular Porter classics such as "You're The Top," "I Get A Kick Out of You," "Blow, Gabriel, Blow," "All Through The Night," "You'd Be So Easy To Love," "It's De-Lovely," "Friendship," and, natch, the title song. The results are adorable, downright funny, shamelessly romantic, and even jaw-dropping (Marshall's genius choreography---particularly the terrific act one closer---are eye-popping stars of the show).

ANYTHING GOES is, hands-down, one of the most jubilantly entertaining revivals I've seen in recent years. It's pure smile-inducing, gimmick-free musical comedy fun.

As with all iterations of the show, the story unfolds aboard a ship bound for London from New York. Amongst the ship's passengers is wealthy business tycoon Eli Whitney (the adorable Dennis Kelly) and celebrity debutante Hope Harcourt (Alex Finke), escorted by her mother Evangeline (Sandra Shipley) and Hope's new Brit fiancé Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (the very funny Edward Staudenmayer). Then there's minister Henry T. Dobson (Gary Lindemann) who has brought along a couple of Chinese missionaries (Vincent Rodriguez III and Marcus Shane) with him.

Unbeknownst to Mr. Whitney, his young employee, Billy Crocker (the dashing Josh Franklin) defies a direct order and stows away onto the ship, hoping to woo Hope---a girl he's fallen in love with after meeting her for the first time quite recently. And, most amusing of all---unbeknownst to the entire ship---wanted criminal mastermind "Moonface" Martin (the hilarious Fred Applegate, a master of comic timing) has also boarded the ship, hiding out in disguise alongside his horny moll Erma (scene-stealer Joyce Chittick).

Of course, at the axis of all the action is Reno Sweeney, the sexy infamous nightclub singer with a not-so-secret crush on Billy---here played with exquisite style and divalicious gusto by Broadway vet Rachel York. Entrancing and completely swathed in enviable talent, this genuine triple-threat is a mesmerizing stage presence. And, gosh, what a singing voice!

With come-hither mannerisms and salacious line deliveries that, combined, makes up a hybrid of Mae West, Marilyn Monroe and Beyoncé's alter-ego Sasha Fierce (yes, that's right, I went there), York slinks into the meaty role like a second skin. Reno---playful and seductive one moment, vulnerable and honest the next---fits her well, and, boy, when she sings, every consonant, every growl, and every stretched note is a like gift-wrapped treat for musical theater lovers everywhere.

By the time she and the impressive ensemble cast tap-and-belt their way through the song "Anything Goes"---a seemingly non-stop, tour-de-force dance number that's worth the price of a ticket on its own---it's hard not to feel the absolute joy radiating from the stage (and, actually, it also made me wish I took tap dance lessons as a kid).

There's an effortless air of classiness to Marshall's beautifully-rendered posh production, which takes on a light, effervescent overall aura that is both shamelessly romantic and utterly beguiling. The comedy---as squarely old-fashioned as it is---still induces genuine chuckles, and the go-for-it cast looks like they're having so much fun singing and uttering these lines, and, of course, tappin' them feet in syncopated rhythms! You can feel their beaming smiles all the way to the back of the top-most balcony.

And obviously, this cheeky but harmless naughtiness is, no doubt, an inherent, unavoidable trait handed down from the era that spawned it (even Porter's ebullient lyrics reeks of amusing double-entendrés). But while there were still one or two cringe-worthy instances of old world jokes---the humor at the expense of the Asian characters were slowly creeping up to the line of offensiveness, but not quite---in a way, all of this aww-shucks, old-timey humor of ANYTHING GOES is actually a nice respite from the shock-and-awe, self-aware (and sometimes, vulgarity-laced) snark of modern-day comedy (geez, okay, easy there, Grandpa Critic)...

So, somehow, like theater magic, the corniness of the antiquated punch-lines and the vaudeville-style yucks comes off genuinely pleasing nonetheless. Some were so broad and non-sensical, they end up funny just for the sheer audacity of its delivery (at one point, a pet dog provides a, uh, disguise prop for one of the characters... and, yes, it was hilarious). Whaddaya know! It's so square, it's hip!

Aside from Marshall's excellent choreography, of course, much kudos should be paid to the wonderful jazz-hot orchestrations of Michael Gibson and Bill Elliot, the opulent costumes of the late Martin Pakledinaz, and the bright ocean liner sets by Derek McLane. And with terrific pacing, everything about this show zips along so splendidly, you can hardly tell the first half is almost ninety minutes long!

You've only got less than a week left to climb aboard this exciting musical cruise right here in Orange County. Better book your reservations now!

Follow this reviewer on Twitter: @cre8iveMLQ

Photos by © Joan Marcus. From top: Reno Sweeney (Rachel York) calls up to the heavens; Moonface Martin (Fred Applegate) plots with new friend Reno; Reno and company tap their blues away.

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Performances of the Roundabout Theatre Company Production of ANYTHING GOES continues at Segerstrom Center for the Arts through Sunday, September 29. Tickets can be purchased online at www.SCFTA.org, by phone at 714-556-2787 or in person at the SCFTA box office (open daily at 10 am). Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.

For tickets or more information, visit SCFTA.org.

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