Cabaret Scenes Theatre Review

Why are there so many revivals, and why do so many people complain about them? Shakespeare is a revival, so is Shaw, Irving Berlin and Camelot. These are theatre treasures and should be revived, hopefully with fresh approaches for their universality.

Welcome to the Roundabout Theatre's return of Pal Joey to Studio 54. Librettist Richard Greenberg blessedly did not set John O'Hara's stories (Your My Pal, Joey) in the present day and he adds new humor, pathos and grit to the terrific songs and a couple of admirable performances. Pal Joey provides an evening of almost solid entertainment in an atmosphere as wintry as the weather.

The story takes place during the Depression, and Scott Pask's sets and Paul Gallo’s lighting reflect its grim melancholia. Director Joe Mantello steers this savory look at a lowlife con man and lays out the toughness with snappy well-rounded characters. The opening scene takes place behind a scrim, where gangsters pummel penny ante hoofer Joey Evans (Matthew Risch), flinging him to the ground. It is a short choreographed sequence by Graziela Daniele, getting this antihero out of this town and into the next.

Joey gets himself to Chicago and cons himself into a job hosting and hoofing in a cheap South Side joint with a chorus line of floozies. A fast-thinking, smooth-talking punk, Joey moves through the chorus line like a nasty virus, infecting everyone he contacts.

Gladys, a past-her-prime stripper, has an unsavory history with Joey. Bitterly, she indicates she may have had an abortion during their interlude. Gladys is like a hard candy surrounding a caramel core. Beneath her tough outer skin, she reflects the wistfulness of Italian actress, Giulietta Masina, vulnerable to Joey's cruelty, especially when he takes away her big strip number, "Zip," and spitefully gives it to an undeserving chorine. Martha Plimpton steals the show with her faceted portrayal.

Oozing blasé arrogance, Vera Simpson (Stockard Channing), a socialite with an absent husband, decides to play around with Joey and winds up almost being played by him. While she is older than Joey, their attraction is believable, and she agrees to finance a swanky nightclub for him, "Chez Joey." Channing gets what her character is singing. She phrases like an actress, although her vocal notes occasionally stray. The show's biggest hit was Vera after-glowing with "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," as she ponders her lover's assets and debits.

Also embedded in Joey's web is Linda English (Jenny Fellner), an inexperienced shop girl with old-time values. Her infatuation with Joey is evidenced with a clear-eyed "I Still Believe in You," recognizing his faults. Predictably, Vera is jealous of Linda, but when the two meet, they both invite the other to "Take Him."

Advises Linda: "Take him, but don't ever take him to heart."

Vera's response: "Take him, but don't ever let him take you."

Joey is left singing "I'm Talking to My Pal." – "I can't be sure of girls/ I'm not at home with men/ I'm ending up with me again." If you didn't know better, you'd almost feel sorry for him.

The only problem in Pal Joey is Joey himself, played by Matthew Risch. Risch can dance, sing, act, has charm – but not enough. Missing is that complexity of irresistibility, that sinuous undercurrent of constant conniving. Risch has a championship grin, but just does not reflect enough Bad. He is, however, good enough to benefit from a classy supporting cast and a capable creative team.

William Ivey Long’s depression-era costumes are tacky and plain, contrasted by Vera's splendid gowns. Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers provided memorable music with suggestive, tart lyrics. "I Could Write a Book" infers Joey's scheming under its romantic words. Made-for-the-chorus-line ditties, like "Plant You Now, Dig You Later," also reflect Joey's attitude, Music director Paul Gemignani fills the show with power and sensibility.

Pal Joey opened during an era of musical comedies, but this is not a comedy. Musical comedy heroes are not disreputable heels who dance away unpunished. This made it hard to take in 1940, and it was not until a 1952 revival that the show gained its following. Today is a different story. Audiences are used to far worse than Joey Evans and we have no trouble delighting in a well-done tale about a charming punk.

Pal Joey runs from December 11, 2008 to March 29, 2009.

(Photo: Stockard Channing & Matthew Risch. Photo by Joan Marcus)

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
January 8, 2009
www.cabaretscenes.org



	Pal Joey Studio 54 New York, NY
Why are there so many revivals, and why do so many people complain about them? Shakespeare is a revival, so is Shaw, Irving Berlin and Camelot. These are theatre treasures and should be revived, hopefully with fresh approaches for their universality. Welcome to the Roundabout Theatre's return of Pal Joey to Studio 54. Librettist Richard Greenberg blessedly did not set John O'Hara's stories (Your My Pal, Joey) in the present day and he adds new humor, pathos and grit to the terrific songs and a couple of admirable performances. Pal Joey provides an evening of almost solid entertainment in an atmosphere as wintry as the weather. The story takes place during the Depression, and Scott Pask's sets and Paul Gallo’s lighting reflect its grim melancholia. Director Joe Mantello steers this savory look at a lowlife con man and lays out the toughness with snappy well-rounded characters. The opening scene takes place behind a scrim, where gangsters pummel penny ante hoofer Joey Evans (Matthew Risch), flinging him to the ground. It is a short choreographed sequence by Graziela Daniele, getting this antihero out of this town and into the next. Joey gets himself to Chicago and cons himself into a job hosting and hoofing in a cheap South Side joint with a chorus line of floozies. A fast-thinking, smooth-talking punk, Joey moves through the chorus line like a nasty virus, infecting everyone he contacts. Gladys, a past-her-prime stripper, has an unsavory history with Joey. Bitterly, she indicates she may have had an abortion during their interlude. Gladys is like a hard candy surrounding a caramel core. Beneath her tough outer skin, she reflects the wistfulness of Italian actress, Giulietta Masina, vulnerable to Joey's cruelty, especially when he takes away her big strip number, "Zip," and spitefully gives it to an undeserving chorine. Martha Plimpton steals the show with her faceted portrayal. Oozing blasé arrogance, Vera Simpson (Stockard Channing), a socialite with an absent husband, decides to play around with Joey and winds up almost being played by him. While she is older than Joey, their attraction is believable, and she agrees to finance a swanky nightclub for him, "Chez Joey." Channing gets what her character is singing. She phrases like an actress, although her vocal notes occasionally stray. The show's biggest hit was Vera after-glowing with "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," as she ponders her lover's assets and debits. Also embedded in Joey's web is Linda English (Jenny Fellner), an inexperienced shop girl with old-time values. Her infatuation with Joey is evidenced with a clear-eyed "I Still Believe in You," recognizing his faults. Predictably, Vera is jealous of Linda, but when the two meet, they both invite the other to "Take Him." Advises Linda: "Take him, but don't ever take him to heart." Vera's response: "Take him, but don't ever let him take you." Joey is left singing "I'm Talking to My Pal." – "I can't be sure of girls/ I'm not at home with men/ I'm ending up with me again." If you didn't know better, you'd almost feel sorry for him. The only problem in Pal Joey is Joey himself, played by Matthew Risch. Risch can dance, sing, act, has charm – but not enough. Missing is that complexity of irresistibility, that sinuous undercurrent of constant conniving. Risch has a championship grin, but just does not reflect enough Bad. He is, however, good enough to benefit from a classy supporting cast and a capable creative team. William Ivey Long’s depression-era costumes are tacky and plain, contrasted by Vera's splendid gowns. Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers provided memorable music with suggestive, tart lyrics. "I Could Write a Book" infers Joey's scheming under its romantic words. Made-for-the-chorus-line ditties, like "Plant You Now, Dig You Later," also reflect Joey's attitude, Music director Paul Gemignani fills the show with power and sensibility. Pal Joey opened during an era of musical comedies, but this is not a comedy. Musical comedy heroes are not disreputable heels who dance away unpunished. This made it hard to take in 1940, and it was not until a 1952 revival that the show gained its following. Today is a different story. Audiences are used to far worse than Joey Evans and we have no trouble delighting in a well-done tale about a charming punk. Pal Joey runs from December 11, 2008 to March 29, 2009. (Photo: Stockard Channing & Matthew Risch. Photo by Joan Marcus) Elizabeth Ahlfors Cabaret Scenes January 8, 2009 www.cabaretscenes.org

Pal Joey

Studio 54 New York, NY

Studio 54
New York, NY