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Some Like It Hot Some Like It Hot originally started out as a film starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and the blonde goddess, Marilyn Monroe. The film then was transformed into the musical Sugar, which opened at the Majestic Theater in 1972, running for 505 performances. The show went on to earn four Tony nominations. Now we get a combination of both film and musical in a new updated version of this comedy set in 1929 which focuses on two musicians who witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. This leads them to disguise themselves as women to blend in with an all-girl jazz band en route to Miami. From there it is mixed identities and falling in love. For this new version, a total of five songs were dropped from the original version (including "Sugar," "Beautiful Through and Through," "Maple Leaf Rag"). A new group of songs has been added, including a solo for Osgood as well as a new ballad for Sugar. Jule Styne's score is layered in brass and jazz, staying true to the era of jazz baby/speakeasy music. Bob Merrill's lyrics are actually still fresh and are quite sharp, witty, and very comical. While there are one or two songs that could be cut, the remainder of the score is dazzling. The book is perfect, staying true to the film in various forms. The combination of book, music, and lyrics hit major laughs with such songs as "We Could Be Close," "The Beauty That Drives Men Mad," "Shell Oil/Hey, Why Not?," and "Magic Nights." Visually it is a bacchanal for the eyes! James Leonard Joy's sets are designed with finesse and detail, painted in sumptuous colors. Suzy Benzinger's costumes are glossy and ornate with beads, sequins, tulle, and plumes. The glittery gowns she has designed for Sugar and Sweet Sue are elaborate. Both set and costumes are immersed in luxuriant colors with lighting designed to perfection by Ken Billington. Dan Siretta's direction and choreography is effortless and smashing to detail. Pace wise there are no problems whatsoever, both for performers and scene changes. They are all fluid and clean. Siretta's choreography is done with tons of tap sequences. The big tap company number, "Tear The Town Apart," brings the house down, the stage littered with gangsters tapping like mad, and it is grand. Siretta brings out superb performances from the entire company, except for one - and that would be Mr. Tony Curtis. Maybe the casting looked really good on paper, and yes there is history involved here, but when it simply hurts the production - to the point of embarrassment - you've got o wonder if it was worth it. I totally understand the need to put stars into stage shows - it sells tickets - but it is so sad when the artistic side suffers in the process. While Curtis is a good (but not great) actor in films, on stage it's a totally different story. There are seven numbers before Curtis appears on stage in a company number titled "November Song." He does not have an ounce of singing technique in his body. He talk-sings like Rex Harrison, but without the ability to sell the song as Sir Harrison can. Curtis can be heard falling behind the orchestra. On this night, I noticed his bizarre habit of fequently looking at either side of the stage. The reason for this odd behavior was clarified in act two, when two large teleprompter monitors placed at opposite ends of the stage light up when Curtis sings. During "November Song," Curtis looks like a deer caught in the headlights. The star simply does not know the little choreography set out for him. He looks lost, confused, and befuddled. A couple of the girls in the chorus literally grab his arm and drag him around the stage to stay at least in line with the rest of the company. And it gets worse. Mr. Curtis struggles with his dialogue scenes, at times giggling to cover up his flubs. To add salt to the wound, they added a solo for Curtis to sing in act two, "I Fall In Love Too Easily," which just stops the action stone cold dead in its tracks. This is not at all helped by Curtis's extremely low wattage of stage presence, coupled with his energy and voice set at a monotone hum. It is the other principals and chorus who are the true talents of the night. In fact, there are two performances that are star making and they steal the show from Curtis - that of Timothy Gulan and Jodi Carmeli. Gulan plays Jerry/Daphne, the role immortalized on the silver screen by the late Jack Lemmon. Gulan does not try to imitate Lemmon, but instead creates his own version of the character, and his interpretation is magnificent. Gulan should be arrested for all the scene stealing he does in this musical! He creates loud laughs from his facial expressions and body language. The actor also plays with his voice to generate laughs from his dialogue scenes as well. One of the funniest numbers of the evening is his duet with Sugar called "We Could Be Close." Gulan has eye popping stage presence, keen comic timing and pace, and a delightful tenor voice that fits his songs like a glove. He has some of the best songs and book scenes, and he chews on that scenery like it was taffy. The other star making performance is Jodi Carmeli as Sugar. The actress faces a major obstacle by playing a role created by one of the true icons of cinema, Marilyn Monroe. Carmeli brings some of Monroe's mannerisms and vocal inflections, including the breathy voice. But this gorgeous gal makes Sugar her own as the evening progresses. Carmeli is curvy, buxom, and voluptuous - a wonderful breath of fresh air from the skinny rail-thin women that seem to be in national tours and Broadway nowadays. Carmeli matches Gulan in bringing the house down with laughs. The actress/singer has entrancing stage presence combined with keen-edged comic timing and pace. Each of her numbers are like the diamonds on her ears, sparkling and dazzling. My personal favorites include the hilarious duet with Gulan, "We Could Be Close," "Shell Oil/Hey, Why Not?," and the dramatic 11 o'clock number, "People In My Life." Her powerful soprano voice and emotional interpretation of the latter ballad will seize your heart. With Carmeli's facial features framed in a platinum blonde wig, her body encased in a silver beaded bangle gown, and the haunting lyrics of this song, she recalls the real Marilyn onstage. Carmeli is luscious and luminescent in this production. Arthur Hanket portrays Joe/Josephine, Gulan's partner in drag. Hanket is quite enjoyable in the role, but is overshadowed by Gulan and Carmeli. This is not helped by Hanket's weak singing. The actor has no strong belt or clear vibrato, and this is complicated by his inability to sustain notes. The actor does have excellent comic pace and timing that are equal to his jovial facial expressions. He hits paydirt with the alter ego, Junior. There is irresistible work from the supporting players as well. William Ryall is perfect as gangster Spats. The actor is extremely tall, which creates great comic effect for his character. Ryall is a wonderful tapper who brings down the house in the ensemble number, "Tear The Town Apart." The actor and his thugs use the taps on their shoes to create the sound of tommy guns going off. Ryall also has a hysterical death scene. Lenora Nemetz was in the original cast of Working, earning her a Drama Desk nomination. For this production, she is Sweet Sue, the conductor of "Sweet Sue and her Society Syncopaters." Nemetz has some grand numbers, including "We Play The Band," "Runnin' Wild," "Sun On My Face," and "When You Meet a Man In Chicago." Nemetz dances up a storm in her numbers, which are backed up by her solid vocals. Some Like It Hot is like a big piece of sweet candy. The wrapping is colorful and its contents are pure yummy musical theater heaven, but sadly it's the center that leaves the bad aftertaste. I honestly think this production has a great shot of making it to Broadway, but it has to drop Mr. Curtis in the process if it wants to become a resounding success. Some Like it Hot CAST |
