Broadway needs a good old-fashioned musical. Whether it's 42nd Street, Wonderful Town or Sweet Charity, there's always a place for the happy, fun, entertaining song-and-dance routines that are personified by Sweet Charity'sCy Coleman music, Dorothy
Fields lyrics and Bob Fosse-inspired choreography by Wayne Cilento. The original book by Neil Simon is among his least notable, but the inspiring performance by Broadway newcomer Christina Applegate is of legendary proportions. Most readers have heard the story of her foot -- broken in out-of-town previews. An announced closing was reversed after Applegate helped raise additional investments and convinced producers to open in New York. A miraculously rapid - and orthodics enhanced - healing. And
finally a critically well-reviewed opening and Tony nomination for the show (Best Revival, Musical) and for Applegate. Bottom line, the Charity role is the perfect vehicle for Applegate who delivers a winning performance that keeps the audience smiling, rooting her on, and standing and cheering as the curtain comes down. Sweet Charity is far from the perfect Broadway show, and Applegate's performance is very good, but not
great. But fans of traditional Broadway musicals in search of pure enjoyment cannot go wrong with an evening at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
Jack Myers Entertainment Report's entertainment rating system is based on a maximum of five jacks and a minimum of zero jacks. 0 = awful; 1 = pretty bad; 2 = okay
but don't go out of your way to see it; 3 = reasonably good but not special; 4 = very good and worth paying
attention to; 5 = exceptional. Opinions are based on my own likes, dislikes and preferences.
