Bullets Over Broadway is a flashy production from the choreography to the set design, but the flash factor in the plot is lacking.
Jeff Whiting didn’t shy away from the feeling that Susan Stroman originally created while directing on Broadway. Stroman left her mark on the show by giving the story a very similar mood as her former show, The Producers. Bullets Over Broadway was just as awkwardly raunchy, if not more, than The Producers. From “The Hot Dog Song” to the not so subtle innuendos, the sexualization of the characters put a halt on any sort of proper character development.
Olive Neal (Jemma Jane), an absent-minded flapper girl, featured a screeching voice that was impossible to understand for nearly half of the show. The only purpose that Olive had to the plot was adding to any sort of innuendo. If Olive were taken out of the plot completely, the show would have been more successful and the audience would have been less perturbed.
On the other hand, David Shayne (Michael Williams) and Cheech (Jeff Brooks) were both portrayed in a way so that the audience eventually saw them as lovable characters. Williams’ personal freshness to the world of Broadway shined through in his character. He was upbeat, eager and just naïve enough to make the character extremely convincing. Brooks combined the right amount of fierceness and understanding to turn his mobster character into a big teddy bear at times.
Brooks brought the highlight of the night with his moves in “Tain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do.” Mobsters and tap dancing: two things that shouldn’t mix, but somehow turned into a show stopper. Brooks’ noticeable effort allowed him to stand out even when he was dancing behind the chorus. The number caused the mood in the crowd to shift from boredom to absolute intrigue.
While the set design included only a few small pieces per scene, the subtle details were exquisite. Helen Sinclair’s (Emma Stratton) Penthouse featured only a sofa and a small table, but the items on the table set the scene and Stratton’s character. When the scene needed to be changed quickly, Sinclair’s table quickly turned into a catering cart adorned with pastries. These small details combined with the variety of backdrops truly set the scene. I would rather see a subtle set design than an overcrowded stage any day.
The story closed with a let down of a “twist.” After drooling over Helen Sinclair for the entire plot, David Shayne runs back to his former love, Ellen (Hannah Rose Deflumeri). This might seem like a reasonable decision, but the fact that Ellen didn’t even attempt to protest Shayne’s rash decision. Ellen was portrayed as strong and independent throughout the entire plot, but as soon as Shayne came back into her life, she was spineless. The ending seemed to have been lazily written without a care.
Overall, disappointing writing throughout. Attention to character development and some serious editing to plot details and Bullets Over Broadway just might have been one to call home about.