I See London, I See France (The Underwear Musical) - (NYMF)
I see potential, I see good times, I see good performances: I See London, I See France: The Underwear Musical is something I’m glad I was able to see. It’s often silly and unapologetic in its desire to be just escapist fun. Thank goodness! Nothing pretentious here. It knows and presents its agenda to be clever and make a few comments about people without lecturing and doesn’t trick its audience or play with your head. Don’t look for anything deep, but go for it and have a few laughs and zing. It’s played broadly but remains diverting in its cartoonish way without being dumb. Occasionally the humor seems repetitive or wears thin like underwear that has been washed and stretched beyond its natural life expectancy. Although now and then it gets a bit hard-sell (hey, it’s about advertising media, after all), it is cheery and plucky.
The plot follows an advertising woman named Gina (played with spunk and a likeable bundle of nerves by Sandy Rustin) who’s working on a men’s underwear campaign. She has some issues that are brought to the surface when the good-looking male model is strutting about in just the underwear for photo shoots and chats. He’s more interested in talking about the weather (not small talk, he wants to be a weather man on TV). Brainy he’s not and a lot of humor comes from that - but he’s charmingly sweet and maybe the right man for her personal life. Nicholas Ardell plays the role and he has good comic timing. He nails those dumb guy’s belated reactions and goofy befuddled looks. In short, he’s a pleasure to watch as an actor and many will find his frequent scenes where his costume consists of tight underpants only a pleasure to look at, too. But this is not a smarmy show or a titillating tease and you won’t find other minimally dressed hunks strolling in.
The eight-member cast boasts attractive singing voices and feisty performances. Ronica Reddick is zesty and amusing as Gina’s more comfortable-with-her-sex-drive roommate is appropriately named Randi (get it?) David Rossmer is the office temp who reeks of confidence with his nothing-invested, nothing-lost attitude. Although his performance could use more variety in the way he shows those confident airs, he delivers and gets his laughs. A scene near the end where his cool, collected cucumberability is tested gives a welcome change of pace. Jordan Gelber as the advertising guy who may or may not be gay (Gina’s radar said he was) has some nice moments, too, and there’s a trio of women as an ensemble in songs and a dream sequence who are solid: Whitney Bashor, Juliana Hansen, and Mandi Miller. In fact, all sing more than competently and with musical comedy savvy.
The scenic design (Dustin O’Neill) is enhanced by smart and creative use of projections. Musical director/keyboardist Jana Zielonka is part of a trio with bass (Alden Terry) and drums (John Herin) that sound right in step and catch the tone of the high energy. Orchestrations are by Bernie Anderson, Jr. The lively, often clever songs have lyrics by bookwriter Vid Guerrerio and composer Jeremy Desmon. Another Jeremy is the director: Jeremy Dobbrish. He knows how to keep things brisk without exhausting the audience or milking the jokes. A nice surprise is how much comes through near the end that goes above and beyond the call of duty of comedy: it’s partly about people finding some happiness and confidence and when that happens, there’s a neat sense of triumph and a ray of sunshine coming through.
At TBG Theater 312 West 36 St. 9/22 at 8 pm, 9/23 at 1 pm, 9/26 at 4:30 pm, 9/28 at 4:30 pm, 9/29 at 4:30 pm. Cost is $20. See ww.nymf.org or call 212-352-3101. Note: A small theater and selling well, you’re advised not to sit around in your underwear and wait to get tickets.
