Anything Goes Review from Nicoth.com
NICOTH review by Michael Brent
“Anything Goes” has been a staple of the community and regional theatre scene for quite some time. Originally written in 1934 starring Ethel Merman in one of her earliest triumphs, a successful revival of the show came out in 1962 and another completely rewritten revival came out in 1987 starring Patti LuPone. It is that later version that is being presented by the Summer Place Theatre in Naperville. Is it understandable for groups to want to do the newer revival but the fact remains that the ’87 version does not really add anything fresh or interesting to the ’62 version. In fact, a lot of the dancing has been eliminated and the roles of some of the supporting players have been built up to little or no effect. However, the bottom line is that this Cole Porter classic offers an unbeatable score including such standards as “I Get A Kick Out of You”, “It’s Delovely”
And “You’re the Top,”despite the lighter-than-air plot.
Originally intended as a story about a group of passengers involved in a shipwreck, the plot had to be hastily rewritten when an actual shipwreck occurred shortly before the musical opened. This musical “Love Boat” revolves about the exploits of a group of zany passengers in search of love aboard the S.S. American. Among them are Reno Sweeney, the evangelist and her four angels, Purity, Chastity, Charity & Virtue. Amy Arbizzani plays Reno to the hilt. Miss Arbizzani is one of the strongest Renos to play this role. With her confident belt and assured stage presence, she sets the show on an even keel with every entrance. She is matched every step of the way by Paul Mullen who plays Billy Crocker, the wall street broker who is looking for the girl of the dreams. That girl is Hope Harcourt played and sung sweetly by Cassandra Liveris who is set to marry English blueblood, Lord Evelyn Oakleigh, played a bit too broadly by Ozzie Torres. Billy’s goal is to break up the impending marriage and run off with Hope.
Further complications ensue with the arrival of Moonface Martin, Public Enemy #1 and his cohort in crime, Erma. Veteran Jim Heatherly nicely underplays Moonie although his projection is a bit soft at times. Bridget McManamon is saucy and appealing as Moon’s accomplice. Other eccentrics thrown into the mix include Elisha J. Whitney, Billy’s boss, played by Herb Berry who seems to be making a specialty out of pompous windbags and Mrs. Harcourt, Hope’s mother, portrayed by Corrie Graham with over-the-top eccentricity.
The orchestra conducted by Nikki Carnevale sets the tempos at a nice snappy level and director Mark Dedowicz keeps the action moving at an appropriately frantic pace. The choreography by Tom Priley is crisp and economical. One wishes that there was more of it to go around. The multi-level set which was borrowed from the production at Drury Lane Oakbrook is colorful and effective with wagons brought on to depict several of the ship’s staterooms.
“Anything Goes” is one of those shows that certainly doesn’t have any great message.
It exists merely to entertain and that it does exceedingly well. This bit of fluff by the Summer Place Theatre of Naperville runs just one more weekend at the Naperville
Central High School.