Part of the New York Musical Festival: Cuba, 1958. In his final year Errol Flynn has one last adventure. The dashing star of so many Hollywood blockbusters yearns to be a real hero, and Fidel Castro fits the bill.
Read more Show less
"This hodgepodge of influences has resulted in an uneven and tonally confused musical...'Errol and Fidel' jumps chaotically from political thriller to slapstick comedy to swashbuckling melodrama...Its music...remains the most consistently strong element. And in the hands of compelling actors...the text too has occasional moments of wit...If 'Errol and Fidel' could mediate its swagger with a little self-editing, the result just might be a musical worth fighting for."
Read more
"A quite entertaining musical fantasia when it features its well-played central characters. Its pointless tangents mar its effectiveness...Though the book is cluttered, the score is lively...Anderson’s lyrics have a modest flair. The game cast acquits themselves very well with the erratic material...Bello holds all of the production elements together with his swiftly paced and forceful staging...This exploratory presentation of 'Errol and Fidel' reveals it to have a good deal of potential."
Read more
"The book is interesting as are the lyrics; however, neither are remarkable. The lack of Latino performers is somewhat appalling...There are three songs that stand out...The remainder are of a variety of musical genres and pleasing enough. The choreography by Justin Boccitto is adequate but derivative...A work in progress...The musical simply did not engage me in any significant way."
Read more
"Has possibilities, but needs some major work...Michael Bello’s direction keeps the show moving, but the book drags and has one too many convoluted moments...The music is by three different composers and it shows, as there are different styles that do not mesh...What fails completely are the lyrics by Boyd Anderson...This is a show with possibilities, but they need to go back to the drawing board and make sure the book and lyrics are coherent, then add the music."
Read more
"Stewart captures the look and charm of Errol, but the maudlin reminiscing in the script might work better played for laughs...The music is great, and the choreography is breathtaking in both style and restraint thanks to Justin Boccitto. The lyrics take risks and serve up some excellent punch lines. The show is a B-movie starring Errol Flynn with song and dance."
Read more