BWW Reviews: THE RITZ BRINGS BAWDY BROADWAY DOWN UNDER at New Theatre

A man walks into a bathhouse...now there's an angle to an old classic we hadn't heard before! And New Theatre's The Ritz is nothing but twists on classics in this madcap tale of a man on the run from his murderous brother-in-law who accidentally hides out in a 1970s gay sauna thinking it's a swanky hotel! Hilarity seems bound to ensue, but even I was surprised by how much of a hoot this In-&-Out-meets-Boogie-Nights show would be. In 1975, The Ritz was playwright Terrence McNally's Broadway debut and was so acclaimed a film version was produced within a year. The Ritz has become a cult film for the gay community but is loved by all audiences for its progressive approaches to gay culture, fetishes and homophobia. The story was inspired by real New York sauna, The Continental, that was visited by people of all sexual persuasions and celebrities looking to meet the artsy and fartsy.

When I spoke with David Marshall-Martin earlier this week, he made a point about The Ritz that having now seen it, I wholeheartedly agree with: this show is a celebration! Where many plays that invoke gay character, plot or cultural references, there is a temptation to wax lyrical about struggle and pain. These emotions are absolutely valid, but it is important for us to laugh at our plights every so often, and this is definitely a setting to leave your cares on King Street, Newtown and join the gang in a time post-Stonewall and pre-AIDS epidemic. For much of the opening night audience, this show was a marvellous trip down memory lane. For those of us under 30, it was still such a hoot to see how people conducted themselves in less conservative times, but could still see the parallels with how far the gay community has apparently come! For its earnest cast, hilarious energy and of course the towel-factor, The Ritz is definitely a riot worth getting a ticket to!

The best part about seeing productions by volunteer organisations is that you know the cast are either seasoned professionals dying to play a certain character, or budding talent dying to make a start. Les Asmussen as lead Gaetano Proclo was clearly the former, who took the whole weight of the play (literally) with aplomb and lily-livered slapstick. Samuel Christopher shone as the nelly-nancy-fruity-fancy Chris who got delivered the most comedic and also the most insightful moments with precision. Meagan Caratti was like a Sophia-Vergara-best-of in the role of Googie Gomez that won original cast member Rita Morena a Tony. Marty O'Neil had the worst job playing the homicidal homophobe with a secret but he pulled off some of the funniest moments of the night, while William Koutsoukis as his private dick showed side-splitting, eye-bulging commitment. Newcomers Adam Kovarik and Jarryd Clancy made an endearing double act, while Ivan Hui's drag disaster left us all rolling in our chairs.

The real star of the show though was Tom Bannerman's set that was incredibly well done to give the stage at New Theatre the presence of a real hotel, in a design both ambitious and very-well lent to the humour of chase and surprise.

Bring your drinks, bring your boyfriend or girlfriend or both, bring your sense of humour and bring your binoculars for a night wildly wonderful. The Ritz was supported by Sydney City Steam 357 so hell you may have such a great time you host your own after-party!

Photos © Bob Seary

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