by Jonathan Warman

Boy what a mess! I don’t know what Robert Longbottom did here, because this revival of Bye Bye Birdie seems very nearly un-directed. Let’s start with the casting: Gina Gershon is a talented actress and a gifted comedienne, as was very clear from her performance in last season’s Boeing Boeing. But her role here, Rose Alvarez, was written specifically for Chita Rivera, a formidable singer and dancer, and Gershon is formidable in neither capacity. Longbottom clearly hasn’t helped her to “sell” the numbers either, as Joe Mantello did so successfully in 9 to 5 earlier this year with non-singer Allison Janney.

Let’s move on to the visuals. The design does evoke the early sixties, but only in the most general way. The show’s story follows hip-swingin’ teen idol Conrad Birdie (Nolan Gerard Funk), who’s been drafted into the army.   Birdie's manager Albert (John Stamos) and Albert’s secretary Rosie (Gina Gershon) cook up a plan to send him off with one last kiss from a lucky teenage fan from Sweet Apple, Ohio.

Thing is, Sweet Apple looks nearly identical to Albert’s office in Manhattan. The most stark example: A Sweet Apple bar looks more like a brand new airport bar than a roadside house in small-town 1960 Ohio. The costumes have everything to do with color composition, but very nearly nothing to do with character. And the splashy glass panels that frame the stage make what should be a warm fuzzy show feel icy and lifeless.

Then there is the complete lack of consistency in the performance. Bill Irwin is hilarious as small-town dad Harry, but he seems to be in a completely different show (a more fun show to be sure). When Jane Houdyshell steps on-stage as Albert’s mother Mae, she wipes the stage with everybody else. It’s simply because she’s making strong choices and playing them with total conviction, not a common occurrence here. Funk plays Birdie with just as much confidence, plus a hint of raging libido underneath his pretty-boy exterior. Three strong performances, with not the slightest sense that Longbottom has put a second’s thought into what theatrical world would encompass all three.

There’s lot of talent here, but every time this Birdie hits a mark it feels like a happy accident.

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For more reviews and interviews by Jonathan Warman, see dramaqueennyc.com.