Megan Hilty and Jennifer Simard are now co-starring in this flashy and stylish new musical, playing the two nasty “frenemies” who were played in the non-musical movie by Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn. This time out the two “friends” are singing and dancing along with a company of fine featured players and an ensemble of attractive singers, dancers, and actors who earn their keep and our high regard in all departments. The ladies (who are played like the evil twins to Auntie Mame and her best friend Vera Charles) zipped along as though they were both on Red Bull and kept us engaged throughout this two and a half hour extravaganza.
While the book and the score are largely forgettable, the direction and choreography by Christopher Gattelli and the scenery and costumes and lighting by Derek Mclane and Paul Tazewell and Justin Townshend will delight you throughout. In the capable hands (i.e. voice) of Michelle Williams as the Sorceress, Viola Van Horn, the spectacle begins with a rousing number which hints at the twists and turns to come… of which there are many.
This lavish musical has a marvelous supporting cast featuring Taureen Everett and also offers Christopher Sieber as the love interest of both leading ladies. The book by Marco Pennette races along replete with one-liners that are delivered so rapidly that they are often hard to follow. But no matter, the splendid variety of banter supplies one opportunity after another to allow the ladies to change their myriad costumes. The music and lyrics are zippy enough, but it is the pure Broadway spectacle of Mr. Gattelli’s staging that makes the show fun to watch as sung, acted, and danced by this thrilling company.
For those of you looking for dazzling entertainment with little thought provocation that asks of us only not to take take ourselves too seriously, this bright and lively spectacle advises that we should not seek to reclaim our lost youth, for things may well turn out worse the second time around.