As an excuse for a lot of fun songs, variations on the Charleston danced with gusto, burlesque jokes and skits tying together shipboard romances, this production of Cole Porter's old standby needs no excuses. Though the first part takes too long to establish who loves whom (manager Billy Crocker loves Hope, who's engaged to Lord Evelyn, who's attracted to headliner-showgirl Reno Sweeney), there's enough comic schtick by master-of-same Bob Moak to make a trans-Atlantic voyage a "Bon Voyage." John Smitherman's tenor is "Delovely," wooing Hope (rather too-retiring Joleen Wilkinson) behind the back of her mother, sophisticated Mellissa Kenworthy. Blake Walton almost rivals Moak as a Moonface, yet Walton's dutiful English lord has enough sex appeal to made Reno's propositioning him ("Let's Misbehave") convincing. Reno, Billy, and Moonface's corny "Friendship" highlights Act I, as "Blow, Gabriel, Blow" does Act II. Here Ann Morrison's full vocal range and star personality reinforce the romantic plot. Her comic counterpart, Moak, tweet-tweets "Be Like the Bluebird" with amazing straight face.
Politically incorrect Chinamen are among the enthusiastic supporting players who can hardly be distinguished from one another. Elizabeth Palmer as chorus girl Virtue, for instance, looks like a twin of Jillian Johnson's moll, Bonnie. Except for a ship's captain in bellbottoms, costumes seem genuine. Music falls short on volume and resonance, despite the keyboard being heavy early on. Sets are see-worthy.
