Review: SOME LIKE IT HOT, Ensemble Arts Philadelphia - US National Tour
Photo credit: Matthew Murphy
Some Like it Hot the Musical boldly branches out from the original movie, staring bombshell Marilyn Monroe. It’s a tough act to follow, yet it charts its own course with purpose and delivers a standalone experience that's just as hilarious. In addition, the revival in musical form revives the charm of iconic musical comedy while embracing a thoroughly modern sensibility. The musical attempts wokeness by addressing gender fluidity, segregation and 1930’s racism, and stereotypes and interacial relationships, as it is reimagined for a more 21st century relevance.
In addition to a delightful musical composition, the range of the actors is fantastic. Sugar Cane, played by Leandra Ellis- Gaston, is now a strong black woman instead of a stereotypical ‘dumb blonde’ trope. She balances the jazz likenesses of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald with the doe eyed naivety of a Hollywood wannabe adding depth to the original character. Jerry/Daphne, played by Tavis Kordell, steals the show as a non-binary person who loves themselves exactly the way they are. Kordell is brilliant and dazzling, and the audience couldn’t get enough of them. Joe/Josephine, played by Matt Loehr, is able to be a bit skeezy but also a stand up guy as he seduces Sugar under false pretences, but also listens to her, and shows her love and respect. Edward Juvier as Osgood is the most delightful surprise in the show as he balances his own identity issues with the ballad, ‘Fly, Mariposa, Fly’, about a caterpillar becoming the butterfly. The characters have been thoughtfully rewritten to tackle today’s social issues—resulting in a story that’s proudly diverse, refreshingly woke, and just enlightened enough to let you feel virtuous and entertained
This show serves up such a rollicking good time and sneaks in a little food for thought. You’ll leave the theatre grinning, pondering, and humming that irresistibly catchy title number all the way home. Director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw doesn’t just stitch it all together—he whips it into a whirlwind of entertainment. And just when you think it can’t get any bigger, he pulls off a bona-fide showstopper with the climactic gangster chase. ‘Tip Tap Trouble’ is a masterclass in staging, timing, and sheer logistical sorcery. The audience went wild, laughing to the point of crying, cheering till their voices were raw and clapping till their hands were sore.
Catchy and dazzling.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Jamie Flowers