BWW Reviews: Theatre Memphis' ANYTHING GOES - It's 'De-Lovely'!

It's early June in Memphis, but, with the recent success of Playhouse on the Square's KISS ME, KATE and, now, Theatre Memphis' sparkling production of ANYTHING GOES, we seem to be having, as my late grandmother might say, "another 'cole' snap" - Cole Porter, that is. Who would not welcome the giddy book by the great P.G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton, with a reworking by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse? And who has not delighted to such songs as "You're the Top," "I Get a Kick Out of You," "Blow, Gabriel, Blow," "It's De-Lovely," and, of course, the title tune?

I have a particular fondness for this musical, as a number of years ago, a Playhouse on the Square production (with a young Michael Detroit) actually brought me back to the theatre fold after several years of disinterest. Not only was the Playhouse production reinvigorating for me (I actually returned for a second viewing), but a recording of the 1987 revival with the glorious Patti LuPone as "Reno Sweeney" and Howard McGillin as "Billy Crocker" blasted continuously from my home and car stereos. In short, it's one of my favorite musicals - no heavy-handed message a la Rodgers and Hammerstein, just silly nonsense and sublime songs. (By the way, why has there never been a faithful film adaptation? The two versions starring Bing Crosby creak and do absolutely no justice to the live productions I have seen at both Playhouse and the Orpheum).

Basically, the plot finds stowaway "Billy Crocker" trying to win back his sweetheart "Hope Harcourt," who is being pushed by her bullying mother into a marriage with the stuffy, idiom-challenged "Sir Evelyn Oakleigh." Fortunately for Billy (and for us), there's assistance in the form of belting nightclub singer "Reno Sweeney" (an early part that helped immortalize Ethel Merman, who starred in the first film version), formerly an evangelist (think "Aimee Semple McPherson) and - shudder and quake - Public Enemy No. 13, the absolutely harmless "Moonface Martin"). I can't help thinking that these two characters were inspired by personality types that were prevalent when the show was originally written, as McPherson and Prohibition-spawned gangsters were common newspaper topics of the day.

If ever there was a "good, old-fashioned musical," one meant simply to inspire giggles and send the audience home humming, this is it. The recent Playhouse production of KISS ME, KATE had a bit more sophistication (some of those rhapsodic, romantic songs are thrilling) and a Shakespearean "hook" to give it resonance; however, Porter is at his peak with witty lyrics here - "In olden days a glimpse of stocking / Was looked on as something shocking," etc. (In my opinion, his only peer in such lyrics was the tragic Lorenz Hart, who would cede his partnership with Richard Rodgers to Oscar Hammerstein II.) Not only are the melodies delightful, but the lyrics are often deliriously clever (ah, for the good old days).

When I first learned that Amy Hanford was to direct, I kept envisioning her husband Robert as "Billy" and any one of her talented brood in a supporting role or the chorus - wrong assumption. Ms. Hanford seems to have left the rest of her talented family at home to fend for themselves, but she has some wonderful performers to keep this ocean liner afloat - Caiden Britt is an enterprising and ingratiating choice as "Billy," lovely Emily Pettet makes an appealing "Hope," and Whitney Branan has real lung power as the brassy "Reno." There are, moreover, amusing turns by tenor Joe Lackie as "Lord Evelyn" (his "The Gypsy in Me" is a comedic highlight, brilliantly performed), popular vocalist Emily Chateau (a "Lina Lamont"-voice until a smashing "Buddie Beware") as "Erma," and James Dale Green as Wall Street millionaire "Elisha Whitney," funneling liquor and stumbling about for his glasses. However, I must single out two Theatre Memphis long-time favorites: Stage-friendly Ann Sharp as the money-minded mother of "Hope" and, in an amazing and amusing performance (the gentleman is in his eighties!), Barry Fuller as "Moonface Martin" - what a joy these two performers have been over the years, and it is delightful to see them (especially Mr. Fuller, whose performance is an unadulterated joy) at the top of their game.

Jack Yates has once again created a magnificent set design, and Paul McCrae's costuming is impeccable - he would have had MGM's Norma Shearer drooling over satin. Particularly reassuring is that Music Director Jeffery B. Brewer and Sound Designer Reyn Lehman have seen to it that Porter's remarkable lyrics have not been drowned by the orchestra - all of the performers come across with clarity and power. This liner won't reach port until June 28. Photo courtesy of Amy Hanford.

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