Source: North County Times
Date: August 4, 2010
Byline: Anne Marie Welsh

THEATER REVIEW: Weak book lifted by music, dance in Globe's 'Robin'

If music were all it took to make a show, the Sammy Cahn-Jimmy Van Heusen songs for "Robin and the 7 Hoods" would rocket the Old Globe's "new" musical to the top. Just the brassy medley in the overture ---- "My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)," "High Hopes," "Come Fly With Me" ---- brings back instant memories of the Rat Pack era of finger-snapping, Martini-swilling, pre-counter-culture cool. Add the bongos and saxophones in Bill Elliott's orchestrations, and you've got a dream score for a Vegas show.

But this latest musical to premiere at the Old Globe never gets beyond the appeal of those songs. Despite some terrific dance numbers by director-choreographer Casey Nicholaw, who grew up in San Diego, and the energetic presentation by a game cast, this is yet another jukebox musical that leaves the talent literally tap-dancing over the void. As in the 2009 premieres "Sammy" and "The First Wives' Club," there's just not enough there there to anchor an engaging show.

Rupert Holmes, who 25 years ago won Tony Awards for "Edwin Drood," concocted the "Robin and the 7 Hoods" book, basing it very loosely on the Frank Sinatra-produced 1964 film. Holmes transposes the Prohibition-era story to the early '60s, removing the machine guns and faux violence, while adding wonderful songs either dropped from or never meant for the film.

In the process, the writer kills the tongue-in-cheek tone that made the movie a light-yet-watchable star vehicle for Frankie, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bing Crosby, along with Edward G. Robinson in a self-mocking cameo that triggers the action. Oddly, the women's roles (and many of their costumes) in the musical remain a crude throwback to the cardboard dames and molls of gangster lore; they're nothing like the glorious bimbos of "Guys and Dolls."

The show unfolds on Robert Brill's soaring unit set, an evocation of muscular Chicagoland architecture against which the supposed mobster Robbo Ortone (Eric Schneider) doesn't make much of an impression. Schneider has a smooth and supple voice and apes the loose-limbed Sinatra manner credibly enough. As written, Robbo's role is passive; it's the crusading TV reporter and love interest, Marian, who decides to make him a Robin Hood hero, while throwing herself at him and eventually at his personal enemy No. 1, P.J. Sullivan.

Nonetheless, actor Kelly Sullivan manages to fire the part of Marian with confident singing and sparkling personality. Less so for Amy Spanger in the thankless role of Alana O'Dell, the second banana attempting to strong-arm her reluctant boyfriend, Little John, into proposing. It doesn't help that this implausible manager of Robbo's club gets costumed in unflattering Capri pants jumpsuits.

Dimpled cutie Will Chase makes a charming rascal of Little John, with Adam Heller turning in the show's most convincing portrayal as Lieutenant Nottingham, a cop on the take whose rough demeanor hides the usual heart of gold. Another good character turn comes from Jeffrey Schecter as the tap-dancing bag man, Willie Scarlatti; Schecter gets to wear suits in bold chartreuse and bright orange, the loudest of many wild outfits created by costume designer (and San Diego native) Gregg Barnes.

Nicholaw stretches his company into some fabulous rhythmic counterpoints in the tap-crazy "Walkin' Happy" for Willie and the downtrodden, and in a deservedly showstopping "Come Blow Your Horn" for Little John and the Hoods. Robbo and Marian create a wondrously detailed and original story in dance to "I Like to Lead When I Dance"; in many ways their duet is the most impressive, if least flashy, number in the show.

Ably assisted by Barnes' over-the-top costumes, the choreographer pumps up the absurdities in the feline fantasy "Life is for Livin', " the stewardess massages of "Come Fly With Me," and the showgirls-in-wedding-veils finale, "Ring-a-Ding Ding."

With nothing on its mind but Van Heusen's familiar melodies and Cahn's clever lyrics, "Robin and the 7 Hoods" will become another empty crowd-pleaser playing uneasily next to the substantial summer fare on the Globe's outdoor stage.

"Robin and the 7 Hoods ---- A New Musical"

When: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; 7 p.m. Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays; through Aug. 29

Where: Old Globe Theatre, Balboa Park, San Diego

Tickets: $68-$89

Info: 619-234-5623

Web: theoldglobe.org