"The Sting" makes for an evening of fun that seems regularly forced
In 1974, Paul Newman and Robert Redford carried “The Sting” to a best-picture Oscar. Now a world-premiere musical version of the film hopes to make a similar splash at the Paper Mill and perhaps beyond. Bolstered by a marquee name in Harry Connick, Jr. and fortified by the superb choreography of Tony-winner Warren Carlyle, the show is certainly well equipped to make a run at the top of the musical theater world.
But it is not there yet. Clumsy at three uneven hours and still showing its brushstrokes, “The Sting” makes for an evening of fun that seems regularly forced. Stories of gamblers and grifters are always a good time in the theater and at the movies, so this classic tale of smalltime hustlers bringing down a big fish should be no different. And for the most part, that’s true: we get all the twisting plot lines, double crossing, and long-odds bets that we expect and love from stories of the heist and the con. But those formulas, and not any real depth of character, inventiveness of story, or compelling performances, lie at the heart of “The Sting.” Unlike its characters, it is a show that takes a safe bet, happy with a marginal win rather than a big score.
Following the plot line of the classic film closely, Bob Martin’s script focuses on the collaboration between small-town hustler Johnny Hooker (J. Harrison Ghee) and legendary Chicago con man Henry Gondorff (Connick) aimed at taking down Doyle Lonnegan (Tom Hewitt), a ruthless and wealthy gangster against whom both men hold a grudge. Toppling Lonnegan is complicated and dangerous, but if they can pull it off the rewards are as personal as they are financial.
Connick’s name carries the marquee at the Paper Mill, but the show asks much more of Ghee’s talents. “The Sting” is more interested in Hooker’s coming-of-age than it is in Gondorff, and so Ghee must guide his character over the furthest arc of development, a challenge he faces confidently. Ghee’s Hooker is as brash as he is vulnerable, perhaps out of his depth but managing to keep his head above water with sheer confidence.
Of course, the star power of Connick cannot help but find moments to shine. An entertainer of many facets, Connick is a perfectly capable song-and-dance man for musical theater, but at his core this is a New Orleans jazzman most comfortable with a piano and microphone. Sadly, the show only gives us two brief glimpses of Connick more or less on his own, uncluttered by an orchestra or chorus or sweeping arrangements. Those moments are Connick at his best, with the voice and charisma that earned him his fame, but they throw into relief the rest of the show when his talents seem crammed uncomfortably into the mold of razzle-dazzle musical.
And to be sure: this show’s creators have doubled down on razzle-dazzle. Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis’s songs chase the rhythm and energy of big-band jazz, while the large ensemble taps and swings their way through a frequently dizzying pace. Most importantly, though, “The Sting” looks and feels and operates like a musical, not like a musical version of a film. Our contemporary moment is saturated by musicals making a mess of movies by trying to shoehorn songs where they simply don’t fit (I’m looking at you, “A Bronx Tale: The Musical”… and I’m side-eyeing you, “A Christmas Story: The Musical”), but “The Sting” avoids that most obvious pitfall. Maybe it is because the film is already so invested in the showmanship of the long con, or maybe all the credit goes to the show’s creators with resumes littered with Tonys and other awards, but it is no small feat for this musical adaptation to distinguish itself from a crowded field by actually seeming like a musical.
Ultimately, fans of the movie will likely find much to enjoy about this musical version. The spirit and the fun of the film remain, and while not all the songs succeed, Carlyle’s choreography shines as the production’s highlight. The show’s dance arrangements are sometimes meticulously crafted explosions of energy, and sometimes delicately nuanced, but at all times Carlyle’s work helpfully and importantly bolsters a show that regularly drags across its three hours.
And maybe there is much for musical fans to enjoy here too, but any notion that what we have here is a well-crafted, sharply directed and performed musical smells like a con. All the trappings are here, but looking to closely might reveal a hollowness to their construction.
THE STING
Paper Mill Playhouse
22 Brookside Drive, Millburn
Tickets available online (https://tickets.papermill.org/). Running through April 29.
Patrick Maley may be reached at patrickjmaley@gmail.com. Find him on Twitter and Instagram @PatrickJMaley. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.