[NEohioPAL]Berko review: Saturday Night Fever/Palace Theatre

[Roy Berko]

UNINSPIRING ‘SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER’ DANCES WAY INTO THE
PALACE

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times		


What do the theatre musicals  ‘FAME,’ ‘SEVEN BRIDES
FOR SEVEN BROTHERS,’ ‘MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS,’ ‘GIGI’
and ‘BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS’ have in common?  They were
all movies before they were transferred into stage
shows.  And, they ranged from being flops to moderate
successes.  The latest entrant onto that list is and
‘SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER—THE MUSICAL,’ which is now on
its national tour.

Based on the 1977 film of the same name, it features
the songs from the soundtrack by the Bee Gees and
tells the story of a streetwise Brooklyn kid with a
desire to make it big in NY. The film was the vehicle
which capitulated John Travolta toward stardom.  The
score, which was backup music in the movie, has come
front and center for the show.  The songs are sung by
the cast rather than being put forth by the Bee Gees. 
The score includes “Stayin’ Alive,” “How Deep Is Your
Love?,’ and “Jive Talkin.”  

>From start to finish this is a dance show.  The cast
dances well, they are filled with youthful enthusiasm.
 Unfortunately, director/choreographer Arlene
Phillips’ dance plan gets repetitious.  She uses the
same movements over and over.   The hip thrusts,
ceiling pointing, crotch grabs, and head rolls
eventually become boring.

The cast, most of whom are in their first professional
show, try hard, often too hard.  It becomes very clear
that Phillips selected the cast according to their
dancing abilities, secondly for their singing and
lastly, for their acting.
Emotional levels seem fake because shouting is
substituted for strong emotions and the meaning of
lines often gets lost.   Phillips also has tried too
hard to get sexual implication induced laughs rather
than letting the lines develop on their own.  This
façade is aided by Suzy Benzinger’s costume designs
which uses skin tight polyester and then more form
fitting polyester.   

The production stars Mentor native Tony Gonzalez as
Tony.  Gonzalez has a nice singing voice, but his
forte is dancing.  And dance he does!   Gonzalez does
not possess Travolta’s natural sexuality or acting
abilities.   The final effect is an acceptable if
unspectacular portrayal.   Heidi Suhr, who portrays
Annette, who is in love with Tony, has a nice singing
voice, but has difficulty developing a believable
character.  Kristin Piro, as Tony’s contest partner,
is a fine dancer, but displays shallow acting
abilities.  Brandon Nix has a fine singing voice, but
his character development is weak.  You get the point!
  

The show’s music has a heavy disco sound.  It is well
played by the orchestra, though their volume often
drowns out the words of the songs.

The show’s highlight is a background drop which
illustrates the Verrazano Narrow Bridge complete with
moving headlights of passing cars which appears in
several scenes.

The curtain call, a no holds barred dancethon, had the
audience on its feet clapping and moving.

CAPSULE JUDGEMENT:  ‘SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER—THE MUSICAL’
is a contrived musical that gets a barely acceptable
production at the Palace Theatre.  It’s pretty sad to
say of a supposedly professional show that the
highlight is a gimmicky piece of scenery.  ‘Nuff said!
The show runs through February 8.  for tickets call
216-241-6000 or log onto www.playhousesquare.com


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