Sean Hayes as Chuck Baxter & Kristen Chenoweth as Fran Kubelik
There’s a lot of great energy in this quirky, perky revival of the 1968 musical at the Broadway Theater the happy alliance of music by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David and book by Neil Simon, directed and choreographed to the hilt by Rob Ashford and starring the unlikely duo of Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth, takes us back to the politically incorrect but infinitely amusing era of sexual politics in the office. Ah! Bring back the good ole days!
The often humorous and moving book, by master playwright Neil Simon, based on the 1960 Academy Award winning film The Apartment by screen genius Billy Wilder, may feel a tad dated at times, but in the end it delivers. This version is set in 1962, (so that the revival could cash in on the current popularity of TV’s hit show “Mad Men”—the original stage version was set a few years later.) The story follows the adventures of Consolidated Life Insurance Co. executive-wannabe Chuck Baxter, (an abundantly charming Sean Hayes). Baxter, essentially a company ‘grunt’, attempts to advance his career by loaning out the key for his one-bedroom apartment to a number of Consolidated execs for their extramarital romantic trysts.
Essentially this classic “what price success—looking for love in all the wrong places except in front of your own nose” love-story-morality-tale is, in fact, an entertaining romp. But it isn’t perfect. It wasn’t then—it’s probably less so now. Because today, it requires one to check any ‘PC’ notions they might have at the door to the Broadway Theater. Because clearly if you don’t, the kind of office shenanigans served up in this old chestnut wouldn’t cut the mustard at all in this current age of equal opportunity employment and sexual harassment law suits. That said... I say “Check’em,” and just try to enjoy the fun romp the story does offer up.
The talented cast works hard and does its best to sing, dance, and mug up a storm. But alas... this revival only delivers part of the time. Sean Hayes is a natural clown, easily selling the great Neil Simon jokes. His real skill, however, is putting over a significant number of lame ones as well. Somehow, he offers up comedic moments where none exist in the script. Regrettably, and Mr. Hayes actually is a good singer, the wonderful Burt Bacharach score is a bear for even the best Broadway singers to put over, and Hayes, in an otherwise truly dynamic performance, falls a little short. Even the brilliantly talented Ms. Chenoweth has trouble here. (But more on that in a moment.)
The problem is that much of Bacharach’s songbook requires a certain kind of pop-singing vocal sound that isn’t easy to find. And most of the leads in this revival, (who all actually have singing voices ranging from ‘respectable’ to ‘phenomenal’, like Ms. Chenoweth’s), struggle with the difficult material. By and large, you simply wish you could hear the songs belted-out by the likes of Dionne Warwick or Tom Jones, whose vocal ranges are more aptly suited to the intricacies of the score.
And speaking of the score, for some reason, the creative team, (perhaps to give Ms. Chenoweth more to do), has thrown in two classic Bacharach hits: “I Say a Little Prayer” and “A House Is Not a Home”, both of which—although wonderful in their own right—do nothing to further the plot of the show.
Ms. Chenoweth plays Fran Kubelik, the unrequited love object of Baxter’s affections, who herself is frustrated in love with Consolidated uber-executive J.D. Sheldrake (a suave but slightly bland Tony Goldwyn.) Although always a treat to see Ms. Chenoweth, her performance is perhaps the greatest disappointment of the revival. Because, with all of her immense talents, much of the time Ms. Chenoweth just seems lost, her innate indomitable spirit never exactly lands the requisite vulnerability of the hopeful young company gal she’s supposed to be playing. And, costume and hair-wise, (costumes by Bruce Pask, hair and wig design by Tom Watson), she’s a little too perfectly ‘done-up’ and ‘pulled-together-looking’ to believably be the sweet innocent young ‘doormat’ Fran is intended to be.
There is, however, a truly charming moment in Act Two where Fran and Chuck sing and strum the hit song “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again”. It’s very simple, with just the two of them and a guitar.. and it may be the loveliest part of the show. They’re alone in Chuck’s apartment, on a realistic apartment set (by Scott Pask) playing out the heart of the classic Billy Wilder story. The hoopla’s all quieted down—except for intermittent hysterical visits by Chuck’s neighbor Dr. Dreyfuss (a classically deadpan Dick Latessa.) And the ‘not-yet-lovers’ are dealing with the adversity of life and love in 1962. And this is where the current revival absolutely delivers.
There are two other terrific moments in the show. The first is the lamenting quartet “Where Can You Take A Girl?” sung by the four executives at Consolidated who have lost their ‘key’ privileges to Chuck’s apartment (a delightfully salacious Brooks Ashmanskas, Peter Benson, Seán Martin Hingston, & Ken Land). The number is brilliantly staged by Mr. Ashford to great comic effect.
The other stand-out element of the show is Marge MacDougall, a second-act character, whom a drunken Baxter meets at a bar on Christmas Eve. MacDougall is played by a transcendently hysterical Katie Finneran, doing wonders with an already funny part—and taking it to new heights. If this stand-out performance doesn’t get her a Tony nomination (just as it did for Marian Mercer, who won the Tony for that part 41 years ago), it will be quite the upset. In just two scenes, Finneran literally runs away with the show. Even Hayes transcends the generally super work he’s doing when he plays opposite her. He’s looser, funnier, and looks like he’s having the time of his life. Their number “A Fact Can Be A Beautiful Thing” opens Act Two with a bang.
By and large, Ashford does a respectable job with the somewhat dated material. He moves his players around well, offering up some strong choreography. His choreographic montage during the overture is especially memorable—and magnificently lit by Donald Holder. Interestingly though, much of the choreographic vocabulary he does employ for the show probably didn’t exist on a popular scale in 1962. It was actually popularized several years later during the middle to late 1960s. That said., Ashford’s staging generally pushes the story forward well. Only, his “Turkey Lurkey Time”, the one traditionally show-stopping number, felt uninspired compared to the original rendition by the late Michael Bennett.
To sum up, if you’re the type of theatergoer who’s inclined to like classic 60’s music, up-beat dancing, and a timeless love triangle—where Hayes pines for Chenoweth who pines for Goldwyn who just can’t leave his wife—you’ll have a good old-fashioned time here. ‘Cause even if this Promises Promises doesn’t fulfill all of its.. well.. promises... it does somehow promise to be a very entertaining evening in the theater.
The Broadway Theater – 1681 Broadway (bet. 52nd & 53rd Streets). Performance schedule: Tuesdays at 7PM, Wednesday – Saturday at 8PM, Matinees Wednesday & Saturday at 2PM, Sundays at 3PM. Running time 2 hours and 45 minutes., with one intermission.