Dan's Papers - May 9, 2008 - review: cry baby...by gordin & christiano

After Mel Brooks, could John Waters, the self-styled auteur of trash, be far behind? Encouraged by the mega success of the Broadway production of Hairspray, John Waters has consented to this campy multi-million dollar musical adaptation of his 1990 film Cry Baby, that starred a quirky Johnny Depp. Clearly intended for teen audiences, the results are a bland "squeaky clean" show that's a cross between Grease and Hairspray, without the edge. Here the star is the ingenious choreography by Rob Ashford ,who gives us hip swiveling pelvic gyrations performed with gymnastic precision by exuberant chorus boys. And two of the supporting players, Chester Gregory II and Carly Jibson, bring a zestful spark of originality that is sorely missing from most of the evening.

The book, by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, the Tony Award winning team from Hairspray, is a spoof of the original story, which itself was a spoof of B-films about bad boy drifters (think Elvis Presley, James Dean or Marlon Brando), who blow into town and stir up trouble. Set in 1954 Baltimore, it's the story of Wade "Cry Baby" Walker (James Snyder), an orphaned rebel with several causes - namely truth, justice and rock 'n roll. The leader of a gang of hoodlums known as the Drapes, Wade ignites the desires of local good girl, Allison (Elizabeth Stanley), a charm school grad who falls fast and hard. The enthusiastic, spirited romp will include turf wars, sexual repression, tongue kissing, false pregnancies and an 11th hour confession to tie up loose ends.

The songs, a pastiche to 1950s rock by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger, have a rockabilly blues-inspired sound with witty satirical lyrics. But they drone on, sounding very similar to one another without a stand-out hit in the bunch. The highlight of the evening is the inspired dancing in "Jailyard Jubilee," where the sexy chorus boys attach license plates to the bottom of their shoes for a rousing tap routine.

Snyder and Stanley are likeable leads, but without any off-centered attention-grabbing inventiveness. Snyder's efforts, especially, feel imposed rather than coming from some organic spark. He certainly out-swaggers Max Crumm, the American Idol star in the current revival of Grease, but both lack the charismatic voltage of a Johnny Depp or an Elvis Presley to provide needed danger. The shortcomings are made all the more evident by two stand-out performances. Chester Gregory II as a soulful Little Richard wannabe, and Carly Jibson, a veteran of Hairspray, as Pepper, a pregnant 16-year-old. Harriet Harris as the venerable authority figure and Tory Ross as Mona, a tough girl with a disfigured face, also turn in robust, brassy characterizations. But in Harris's case, the weak book lets her down.

Although consistently entertaining in a trashy, bubble gum kind of way, Cry Baby, with its bright colorful design, feels like a pale imitation of Hairspray without its hint of danger or political ramifications.

Cry Baby opened on April 24, 2008 at the Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway at 46th Street. Tickets are available at www.Ticketmaster.com, 212-307-4100 or at the box office.

Theater critics Barry Gordin and Patrick Christiano are members of the Drama Desk. Barry is an internationally renowned photographer and Patrick is artistic director of SilvaRoad Productions. Visit their website at www.theaterlife.com