Review - Promises, Promises at the Broadway Theatre

I've never been much of a fan of Promises, Promises, a revival of which opened last night at the Broadway Theatre. But I have to say I was intrigued and enticed by what at first seemed like shrewd semi-star casting: Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes in the starring roles. Add in B-list hottie Tony Goldwyn in a significant supporting part, and I was one intrigued little theater blogger, let me tell you. Unfortunately, the Broadway production that I was most eagerly anticipating this spring has become the one I'm mostly likely to forget.

Except, that is, for the marvelous Katie Finneran, a Tony Award winner for Noises Off, and hopefully a repeat winner this year for her hysterical work here as the minor character Marge MacDougall. When Fineran comes on stage at the top of Act 2, suddenly this otherwise earthbound show takes momentary wing. When Finneran disappears shortly thereafter, the show returns to its desultory self.

The frequently marvelous Ms. Chenoweth is here sorely miscast. It really makes you wonder: Did she, or any of her people, actually read the script before they signed her on? Because Fran Kubelik, at least on paper, doesn't really seem to mesh well with Chenoweth's persona. Let's see, an introspective, easily dominated, suicidal schlub? Yeah, that's Kristen, all right.

Hayes comes off somewhat better than Chenoweth, far more natural here than he was as Mr. Applegate in the recent Encores production of Damn Yankees. At the top of the show, Hayes was charming and strong-voiced, but once the plot kicked in he had a tendency to overdo the comedy, pushing harder for laughs, milking the ones that actually came. It was as though he got the (accurate) sense that the show wasn't quite working and felt the need to overcompensate for the lackluster production surrounding him. And in act 2, both Hayes and Chenoweth showed signs of vocal strain.

But it's really not fair to let the stars shoulder the blame here. And it's not that the story isn't strong, based as it is on Billy Wilder's masterful movie, "The Apartment." The characters are sweet and likable, and the libretto features Neil Simon at his jokemaster best. No, the main culprits are the lousy score and flat direction. I've always been a fan of Rob Ashford, mostly for his energetic and frequently humorous choreography. I had heard decent things about his directorial skills, based mostly on his well-received London and Los Angeles productions of Jason Robert Brown's Parade. But I have to say his directorial work here on Promises, Promises is less than impressive. As Terry Johnson so vividly demonstrates with La Cage aux Folles, insightful direction can make even mediocre material come alive. Ashford may indeed have a promising future as a Broadway director, but you'd never know it from watching Promises, Promises.

And then there's the score. Burt Bacharach's music features pretentious, self-conscious, pointlessly complicated changes in time signatures. And Hal David's lyrics are thoroughly unmemorable. After hearing the songs in context here, it's really no wonder to me that the pair haven't worked on Broadway again. Sure, there are a few moderately passable numbers, including "She Likes Basketball," and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again." (Although, on the latter, Ms. Chenoweth performs what is easily the least convincing fake guitar playing I've ever witnessed.)

But the rest of the score falls into three categories: dull, painful, and ridiculous. In the dull category we have the bland and pointless "Wanting Things." In the painful column, there's "Our Little Secret," "Where Can You Take a Girl?," and "You'll Think of Someone," all of them awkward, tuneless, and egregious in their rhythmic eccentricity. As for ridiculous...well, hello..."Turkey Lurkey Time"? Sure, the number was fun when Michael Bennett staged it in the '60s. (See it here on YouTube.) But Ashford's staging can't hold a candle to that of Bennett, and the song itself is a pointless trifle, both in and out of context.

As if the creative staff knew the score couldn't stand on its own, they've interpolated two Bacharach/David hits into the production: "I Say a Little Prayer" and "A House Is Not a Home." In terms of fitting the context of the show, the songs work just fine. But "Prayer" seems like a throwaway number here, and is lifelessly staged. And "House" serves a strong dramatic purpose in its current context, but is, to my ears, rather dull.

Theatergoers in search of an enjoyable, humorous, heartwarming recreation of an admittedly creaky show should definitely check out La Cage aux Folles. As for Promises, Promises? Meh, Meh.

Grade: C+ (Worth seeing for the delightful Katie Finneran. Otherwise, a somewhat joyless and obligatory affair.)

Comments

[Vance]

I only knew "Turkey Lurkey Time" from the movie Camp, and wondered what the heck the song was really about, and now that I've seen it in context, I think I understood it more in Camp.

[ccaggiano]

I read that they only wrote the song because act 1 needed a big finish. They didn't especially care whether it fit into the story. It just needed to be a big dance number. But, as we've seen, the right choreography makes all the difference.

[Steve On Broadway (SOB)]

First, happy anniversary. To think our respective blogs were conceived and formally developed within mere days of each other! Congrats to you for never letting this one slide - you could teach me a thing or two.

As for PROMISES, PROMISES, I could not agree with you more. What a disappointment, but you've gotta love Katie Finneran.

[Scot Colford]

Well, I like the show better than you do, obviously, but we jibe pretty well in our analyses of the performances. Finneran had me in *stitches*.

[Robbie]

Interestingly, other reviews I have read praise Bacharach's music and deride Neil Simon's book as being overly reliant on one-liners.

Random observation.

[ccaggiano]

Not so random. As for the score, it's a matter of taste. I'm not a fan.

Regarding the book, I din't say it was good. I said the story was strong and that Simon was at his jokemaster best. I didn't necessarily mean the latter as a compliment.

[ccaggiano]

Steve, as I've said before, and will no doubt continue to say, one of the best things about this whole blogging thing was gaining you as a friend and colleague. I'm gratified that we get to celebrate our anniversaries together.

[Amanda]

"[The] production that I was most eagerly anticipating this spring has become the one I'm mostly likely to forget." This sums up my experience with this show perfectly. I found the choreography dismal, the lighting boring and I think that the Broadway is much too big a theatre for this show.

I was surprisingly impressed with Sean Hayes and enjoyed most of his comedy and didn't find any of it overdone. But then, actors change performances. I don't really know what to think of Kristin Chenoweth. I mean, I love her and vocally she was pristine when I saw her. I think she's a great actress and she had some good moments but like I've read in other reviews, there's no way that woman just gets walked all over. It's strange seeing a weak, waif-like woman played by an actress who owns the stage the second she walks on.

The only thing I think everyone agrees on is that Katie Finneran is hilarious and the highlight of the show.

[Karen]

Guess you don't appreciate wonderful time changes in music that keeps it moving forward and makes the piece exciting and glamorous...

[ccaggiano]

Nope, I don't. I find them pretentious, irritating and unnecessary. But that doesn't make me a bad person.