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Theater Review: "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" On Broadway

Katie Buenneke |
August 31, 2011 | 9:37 a.m. PDT

Staff Reporter

Rose Hemingway and Daniel Radcliffe as Rosemary and J. Pierrepont Finch (Ari Mintz)
Rose Hemingway and Daniel Radcliffe as Rosemary and J. Pierrepont Finch (Ari Mintz)
Frank Loesser’s 1961 musical about a tireless young man attempting to scale the corporate ladder has had a checkered production history. Most recently, Matthew Broderick stepped into the role of J Pierrepont Finch in 1995, in a run that experienced modest success. However, the production currently appearing in the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on Broadway provides the audience with a delightfully entertaining show.

The musical itself is a bastion of 1960s culture, and this production, directed by Rob Ashford (who also directed the most recent revival of "Promises, Promises") embraces that wholeheartedly. The set, designed by Derek McLane, relies heavily on the visual concept of honeycombs, reminiscent of old-fashioned TV sets, an idea that is later reinforced when a similar television is brought onstage.

Unfortunately, though, the show itself is starting to show signs of age — the character of Rosemary is particularly out-of-touch with contemporary females, especially given that her theme is “Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm.” Nonetheless, Rose Hemingway does a great job of giving Rosemary a modern sensibility without straying from the confines of Shepherd Mead’s 1952 book on which the musical is based. Luckily, some numbers, like “Coffee Break” and “Been a Long Day” are still relevant, though others seem incredibly dated (and not in a good way), like “A Secretary is Not a Toy,” which is cringingly patriarchal.

Also noteworthy is Daniel Radcliffe (best known as the title character from the Harry Potter movies, in case you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade) as Finch. Somehow, Radcliffe’s Finch doesn’t seem like Harry Potter playing at Broadway, which is admirable given the iconoclastic status of J.K. Rowling’s franchise. Radcliffe’s physicality is fantastic and really adds to the humor of the character. His dancing is also good, though not as natural as the rest of cast—however, the ensemble entirely consists of effortless dancers, so the fact that Radcliffe can hit all the beats in the tricky choreography (also by Ashford) is commendable, even if the audience can see him counting out each beat in his head. Regrettably, Radcliffe’s singing voice is not the strongest, but then again, the role is not very demanding vocally. Regardless, the charm and physicality Radcliffe lends to Finch make up for any flaws in his performance.

The supporting cast is also very strong. Particular standouts are Mary Faber, who, along with Hemingway and Radcliffe, gives the easily trite “Been a Long Day” a sense of freshness. Christopher J. Hanke and John Larroquette are also comical as Bud Frump and J.B. Biggley, respectively. The full-cast numbers are terrifically entertaining, especially the aforementioned “Coffee Break,”  “Grand Old Ivy,” and “Brotherhood of Men.”

All in all, the current production of "How to Succeed" provides the audience with a thoroughly enjoyable night (or afternoon, in the case of a matinee!) at the theatre. The show is light, frothy fun, and this production stays true to that to a tee.

Reach reporter Katie Buenneke here.



 

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