THE HANGOVER REPORT – I’m eating my hat: DESPERATE MEASURES has struck musical comedy gold

The company of Peter Kellogg and David Friedman's "Desperate Measures" at New World Stages.

The company of Peter Kellogg and David Friedman’s “Desperate Measures” at New World Stages.

I had a different impression of the new musical Desperate Measures when I saw it last fall within the intimate confines of the York Theatre Company’s subterranean home underneath the Citicorp building. Then I thought the new musical – a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure updated to the American Wild West – was pleasantly entertaining but wholly forgettable. Well, I’m now eating my hat. The expanded production which has transferred to the Off-Broadway complex New World Stages (also subterranean) has struck musical comedy gold; it’s smashing in almost every sense.

Somehow I had missed the quality of the material the first time around. The winning score, spritely played by a four-piece band, by David Friedman (music) and Peter Kellogg (lyrics) is tuneful and utterly charming. These catchy melodies really stick with you, and it doesn’t hurt a bit that Mr. Kellogg’s lyrics are witty and hilarious (songs such “Just Like You” would do Cole Porter proud). Although not quite Shakespeare, the inspired book by – also by Mr. Kellogg – often the downfall of new musicals, is written in smartly-crafted rhyming verse that often tickles the funny bone.

As mentioned, the physical production has been enlarged to fit the substantially larger proscenium at New World Stages. The production, still brightly directed and choreographed by by Bill Castellino, is much more confident than I remember. It’s as if the show needed the larger playing space to match its broad, bawdy yet wholesome sense of humor. Indeed, the show did seem a little crammed in its original home, where its sense of humor was a bit forced. Not a problem now; the show is effortlessly effervescent. As for the performances, each of the six cast members (five of them have returned from the original York mounting; they’re even better now) are giving wonderfully-honed, absolutely delectable musical comedy performances. Desperate Measures is frothy, unadulterated fun that makes for an ideal summer treat.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

 

DESPERATE MEASURES
Off-Broadway, Musical
New World Stages
2 hours, 15 minutes (with one intermission)
Open run 

Categories: Off-Broadway, Theater

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