Barn Players "Sweet Charity" review by BRN2ACT33

Sweet Charity Not Barn's Best

Rating: 2

Sweet Charity

The Barn Players, Inc.

Bottom line up front - Sweet Charity doesn't live up to the high standards of The Barn's usual productions. I've been going to The Barn for years and have always been impressed with the high quality of their productions. Sweet Charity was a bit lacking.

On the plus side, the Rich Man Frug sequence at the Pompeii Club and the two numbers with Charity's ballroom associates Nickie, Helene, and Carmen (played by Kristen Altoro, Danielle Gibbs, and Abby McInerney respectively) "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" and "Baby Dream Your Dream" were the high points of the show. Those girls can really sing and their voices were absolutely wonderful together. The pit orchestra was excellent and gave the production the sound it really needed. Brian Shortness was perfect in his role as Oscar Lindquist. MB Hurst's strong suit as Charity Hope Valentine was her acting scenes with Oscar. I was really disappointed that her singing and dancing didn't make her the standout that Charity should be. While the set design was functional for the limited space at The Barn, the lighting design was very poor. The costuming and choreography for the production for the most part was very good (sixties costuming and Bob Fosse choreography can be a challenge). I was really disappointed with the Rhythm of Life number. This is a kick-ass number vocally and choreography-wise and it could not have been any flatter or uninspired (as was the performance of Edd Hingula as Daddy Brubeck). Also, "I'm a Brass Band" is a big production number that really turned out laughable. Cute but laughable.