Susan Granger’s review of “Xanadu” (Helen Hayes Theater…’07-’08 season)
Back in 1980, “Xanadu” was a colossal flop on the big screen, despite the best efforts of Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. It won six Razzies and prompted one reviewer to caution: “Xana-don’t.” Few remember that its derivation was the 1947 musical, “Down to Earth” with Rita Hayworth as the Greek goddess Terpsichore.
Nevertheless, “Xanadu” developed a cult following, and its pop songs – “Have You Never Been Mellow,” “Magic” and “Physical” – remain popular. So now it’s morphed onto Broadway as a lavish confection adapted by Douglas Carter Beane and directed by Christopher Ashley, who deftly juggles the disco balls.
Fresh from “Beauty and the Beast,” “Hairspray” and “Little Shop of Horrors,” Kerry Butler embodies the ethereal Greek demi-goddess Clio, who appears as a perky mortal named Kira in Venice Beach, California. Her mission is to inspire a frustrated artist, Sonny (Cheyenne Jackson), who draws chalk murals of a woman who looks just like her on the sidewalk by the shore. This riles Clio’s ugly sisters, Calliope (Jackie Hoffman) and Melpomene (Mary Yesta), who provide great amusement, singing “Evil Woman.” Nevertheless, Kira inspires Sonny to quit his day job as a commercial artist in order to follow his passion, joining forces with an entrepreneur (Tony Roberts) to launch a roller disco called Xanadu.
That leads to the much-heralded roller-skating gimmick. Initially, the entire cast was supposed to roll around in the finale. But, at the first day of rehearsals, the over’40s – Tony Roberts and Jackie Hoffman, among them – were declared exempt, a wise decision since the original leading man, James Carpinello, broke his ankle in two places in tryouts.
“This is like children’s theater for 40 year-old gay people!” quips Ms. Hoffman’s Calliope – and I’ll certainly go along with that frothy evaluation.