Broadway in Milwaukee: Anything Goes

High hopes dashed on the high seas

It pains me to say this, but if you're thinking of seeing Anything Goes this weekend in Milwaukee, do yourself a favor and save your money. Taking our seats at the PAC last night, I didn't have many expectations — just hopes for impressive dancing (since the show won a Tony award for outstanding choreography in 2011) and timeless Cole Porter tunes. I knew the show had a classic musical vibe and a storyline with sailors & nightclub singers on a ship, romance, and a (probably) predictable plot. And I like all of those things! But somehow this production of Anything Goes did anything but, well, go.

The leading lady, Emma Stratton, was an undeniable bright spot in the production; her voice is phenomenal and she certainly carries off an air of old Hollywood glam. But I'm not sure that any of the dancing was out of this world, and the number of dancers in this touring troupe was trimmed by about half compared to the Broadway cast. When you cut the dance company so blatantly, the choreography inevitably suffers. Not to mention, there wasn't even a showstopping tap number until just before intermission — what's that about?! 

Despite all this, I can see the potential in Anything Goes — I'm just afraid we Milwaukeeans aren't being treated to it in full. Of course the show itself isn't new — the music is old, the story is old, and surely that's a big part of why the entire production felt rather lackluster and stale. But remember: I love the Cole Porter era! I'm all for sweet little ditties and tap shoes for days! But I think that when you're working with such old-fashioned material, there has to be some freshness to compensate. This show requires outstanding talent throughout the cast, impeccable (and fully realized) choreography, romantic chemistry, and overall Zing! This particular Anything Goes just did not deliver.

It's too bad, because I really wanted to love this show. And I sincerely hope that musicals like this continue to be performed and performed well. What saved the show for me were the folks sitting around us. They were all in their late seventies — even their eighties — and they were loving every minute of it. The gentleman seated next to my mom, who kept his winter hat on through all of the first act, tapped his toes and softly clapped in time with the music. When my mom and I applauded like normal theater-goers, he cheered "EEEYYYY!" and pumped his fists in the air. Another older fellow actually leaped out of his seat at the end of the first act with uproarious applause. If that sort of enthusiasm is worth anything, then there must be something going right in Anything Goes.