The new Phoenix Theatre musical revue, ‘S Wonderful, requires only one thing – that you have a love and appreciation of the music and lyrics of George and Ira Gershwin.  After that, nothing else matters.

Even though the show has the look and feel of a homegrown production, it actually began life in Pittsburgh when director Ray Roderick produced a series of vignettes, five of them, all showcasing the wonderful Gershwin tunes that had previously appeared in countless Hollywood productions.  ‘S Wonderful was so well received it even went on to do a small national tour.  Now the valley has a chance to see the show for itself, and the result is somewhat mixed; Roderick’s script is paper thin but the music sparkles, and in the end it’s the music that counts.

The five vignettes take us from the twenties to the present day, each one a kind of mini-musical.  The vignettes have different styles and settings, and depending on personal taste, you’ll walk away with your favorite.  Mine was the opening story reminiscent of a His Girl Friday setting where a bespectacled and always entertaining Toby Yatso plays an over-enthusiastic typesetter who wants to be an investigative journalist.  The style echoes the screwball comedies of the twenties and thirties, and even though the overall effect is not quite as effective as it might have seemed in the creative process – Yatso pretending to be a woman while wearing a wedding dress and affecting his singing voice accordingly is not that funny - it’s the Gershwin tunes that elevate the piece.

Director Robert Kolby Harper, a talented singer and choreographer in his own right, has assembled a fine cast of performers and helps each of them produce a certain individual quality that makes all of the glorious songs shine.  Musically, there’s not a bad note.  Jenn Taber’s accomplished rendition of Summertime in the second vignette is so good – it’s both poignant and touching in a piece that leans heavily on the tunes of Porgy and Bess - you might find yourself forgetting where her character is or why she’s even singing the song, it’s simply a great song, well delivered.  Which brings me back to Ray Roderick’s script. 

Perhaps the show’s biggest drawback is that the story arcs in each of the five vignettes are not that interesting and if anything they tend to get in the way.  Just at the moment when you’re thrilled by the rising notes of Love is Here To Stay or roused by Strike Up The Band we’re back for a few seconds in the middle of a plot that may have lost your attention.  It’s like constantly re-adjusting yourself after each song where you’re forced to ask, “Now, where are we again?”

The end result is not great theatre, but ‘S Wonderful still manages to rise to the occasion on the talent and enthusiasm of the cast alone despite the way it’s framed.  When singing songs like the beautiful Someone To Watch Over Me, A Foggy Day and They Can’t Take That Away From Me, while reveling in the wonderfully witty lyrics where ‘What flirt is meant’ rhymes with ‘Advertisement’ you really can’t go wrong. 

 For more information regarding times, dates and tickets CLICK HERE to go directly to Phoenix Theatre website.