Heartbreak hotel?: A review of 'Sweet Charity'

Take a classic Broadway musical which has spawned a hit movie and a not-so-hit book, invest it with loads of candid humor and choreograph it to the nines, trump it up with a cast of seasoned and neophyte actors, and you have this season’s formula for success.

Presented by 9 Works Theatrical, the local revival of this 1966 West End musical is fronted by the irrepressible Nikki Gil, who plays Charity Hope Valentine — a Manhattan dance-hall hostess with a heart of gold too often run like a hotel (“You got guys checking in and out all the time!”). The story, though entertaining enough, is basically just one thing after another, as Charity finds herself dumped by her lover, picked up by an Italian movie star, and finally thrown into the arms of the claustrophobic Oscar, who might just be her one true love match.

And while it’s not the greatest musical ever written, the interesting juxtaposition of images makes the show a worthy venture. Sweet Charity is steeped in a pop-flavored campiness that brings to life the psychedelic feel of the ‘60s — complementing, quite admirably, the easygoing nature of its female protagonist. But beneath all the comic charm, there lies an unmistakable stench of the grittier issues at hand: poverty, male chauvinism, and the question of a woman’s worth in a dog-eat-dog world.

Nikki Gil stars as Charity: “I’m the bravest individual I have ever met!”

Which is why, perhaps, we have Charity.

Here, you have a heroine so full of sunshine, good-heartedness, and determination that you’d sometimes have to wonder if she’s for real. And she is. Charity is a tour de force, and Nikki Gil does a bang-up job of making sure the audience knows it. Indeed, to play Charity is to stand on a precipice between lovable and infuriating — and Gil brings all the energy of her skill into the former. Her acting is endearingly funny, the kind of performance you’d expect from a girl so desperate to be loved. Her dancing, however, while not without grace, can be easily overlooked by the stronger dancers of the cast. But what really takes the cake is Gil’s singing — Broadway big, crystal clear, and worthy of Cy Coleman’s infectious music. Go to YouTube, compare her singing to Christina Applegate’s (who played Charity in the 2005 Broadway revival) and see for yourself.

Of course, Gil’s upbeat portrayal is in stark contrast to the show’s more cynical side — embodied, no less, in the sizzling Fandango Ballroom dancers. The female members of the ensemble delivers the famous Big Spender number with such raging, bitter contempt for their clients that it stands out as one of the more exhilarating performances of the night. Hats off to Ciara Sotto (as Helene), who dominated the stage with her effortless sass, comedic timing and sultry dance moves. Theater veterans Miguel Faustmann (as Herman) and Shiela Valderrama-Martinez (as Nickie) did not fail to disappoint; providing a good dash of brusqueness to strengthen the show’s darker side. As for Kris Lawrence’s stage debut (as Oscar), while he positively shines in that memorable elevator scene, he somehow fails to maintain his momentum in the singing department (ironically enough), and is nearly eaten alive when joined by the whole ensemble.

In terms of the look and feel of the whole production, the scenic designs, while visually adequate enough for every other scene, seems to fall flat when it comes to exuding the vibe of a sleazy dance hall. But the actors are costumed-up wonderfully, and the orchestra — led by Joseph Tolentino — plays with just enough toe-tapping perfection to honor one of theater’s best musical scores.

Be not fooled — the show itself is a joy. And this particular adaptation, directed by Robbie Guevara and choreographed by Deana Aquino, manages to deliver with its solid, easily sampled performances. Guevara provides a seamless, generally attractive staging which belies the fact that Sweet Charity is his first foray into the realm of dance musicals; Aquino’s dances, while lacking the angular eroticism that master choreographer Bob Fosse (who staged the dances for the 1966 original) was known for, still achieves a level of showmanship that pulses with an energy of its own.

That said, at the heart of it all, Sweet Charity remains a captivating production, dusted off and injected with its own brand of freshness by a stellar cast and crew. No doubt about it, 9 Works has another panache hit on its hands.

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The ensemble singing about the importance of good impressions Photos by Sundee Guevara of Spyglass Studios

Sweet Charity runs from Aug. 5 to 27, Friday 8 p.m. or 8:30 p.m., Saturday 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday 4 p.m. For tickets and more information, call (632) 557-5860, 586-7105 or (63) 917-5545560 or email info@9workstheatrical.com.