REVIEW: ‘Some Like It Hot’ is the infectious show Broadway needs right now
Photo: Some Like It Hot stars Adrianna Hicks as Sugar. Photo courtesy of Marc J. Franklin / Provided by Polk PR with permission.
NEW YORK — Some Like It Hot, the new musical based on the hit movie starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, is a big, bright, boisterous Broadway baby. The show features a hilarious, and at times touching, book by Matthew López and Amber Ruffin; effective, sweeping music by Marc Shaiman; and witty, story-based lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman. Add to the mixture a stellar cast and Casey Nicholaw’s wondrous choreography and direction, and this fun and funny musical has a real chance to bring Broadway out of the doldrums.
Christian Borle and J. Harrison Ghee play Joe and Jerry, respectively, two musicians who are yearning for a spot on the busy performance schedule of a famed Chicago music hall. The problem for these inseparable instrumentalists is that when they finally land a deal, they bear witness to a savage murder by a local crime lord named Spats (Mark Lotito). With the mob boss in hot pursuit, they need to ditch Chicago right away, so they figure their only chance at survival is to dress up as women (Joe becoming Josephine, and Jerry becoming Daphne), and head for the West Coast and then Mexico on an out-of-town train.
Lo and behold, the train is filled with a jazz band that is making whistle stops as they travel to sunny California. The orchestra, headed by Sweet Sue (NaTasha Yvette Williams), prominently showcases the amazing voice of its star singer, Sugar (Adrianna Hicks), and coincidentally enough they are down two players. So Josephine and Daphne fit in perfectly, and the cover story works … for now.
When the famous movie comedy from Billy Wilder premiered in the late 1950s, jokes flew left and right based on the premise of two men dressing up in women’s clothes. In 2022, those jokes aren’t necessarily funny anymore, with the thankful acceptance of the LGBTQ community (although there’s still much work to do and many advances to protect). One could easily propose that the original Some Like It Hot feels too dated for a Broadway adaptation, but López, Ruffin, Shaiman and Wittman largely solve the problematic storyline and character trajectory.
After Jerry becomes Daphne, a whole new world is opened for the bass player. Daphne likes to wear dresses, not simply as a disguise, and she begins to fall for a millionaire by the name of Osgood (a very funny Kevin del Aguila). This crime caper turns out to expand beyond a costumed duo trying to stay a few steps ahead of the bad guy; it’s ultimately about Daphne facing the world and changing her life.
Amongst the ensemble, there is not a weak member. Ghee is a marvel as Daphne, receiving perhaps the fullest character arc of anyone in the show and matching the enthusiasm of the musical numbers with stellar dance work, top-notch singing and moving acting. They are a triple threat, and although Broadway audiences likely know the performer’s past work (Kinky Boots, Mrs. Doubtfire), this musical may be the one that puts them on top.
Hicks, a star of last season’s Six, imbues Sugar with power and pathos, and she gets to sing some of the best numbers in the show, including “A Dark Shade of Blue,” “At the Old Majestic Nickel Matinee” and “Ride Out the Storm,” a standing-ovation-worthy anthem that comes late in Act II. Borle, a Tony winner and frequent New York theater actor, is his usual hilarious self, carving out a character that is a go-getter who never pauses to smell the flowers and always takes setbacks in stride. His song “He Lied When He Said Hello” is a highlight, and there’s much to praise in his incomparable line reading and ability to earn a laugh.
Williams may be on her way to Tony land with her Sweet Sue characterization. Brava to the actor for holding everything and everyone together amongst this madcap plot. She tries to get her band out of harm’s way and still bring in a paycheck. The musical’s opening number, “What Are You Thirsty For?,” is mostly effective because of her presence as a bandleader willing to skirt the laws of Prohibition to bring boozy jazz to the underground crowds.
Nicholaw’s direction is always a pleasure. There’s no better interpreter of energized fun than this multi-hyphenate. One only has to look at the staging of “Tip Tap Trouble,” a tap dance chase scene that is dizzying, disorienting and deliriously fun, to see how skilled of a stage director and choreographer he is. His efforts are aided by a book that breezes by and yet pauses enough times to let each character breathe, and music and lyrics that are infectious and laced with jazzy undertones.
Some Like It Hot is brimming with bountiful energy and toe-tapping songs that will easily transport audiences to the Jazz Age. Theatergoers will laugh and be thrilled, but also appreciate the thankful updating of the story for a world that hopefully continues to be more inclusive and accepting. This new musical is exactly what Broadway needs right now.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Some Like It Hot is currently playing the Sam S. Shubert Theatre on Broadway. Book by Matthew López and Amber Ruffin. Music by Marc Shaiman. Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman. Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. Starring Christian Borle, J. Harrison Ghee, Adrianna Hicks, Kevin del Aguila, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Adam Heller and Mark Lotito. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes with one 15-minute intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.
