By Joanne Engelhardt
No, No, Nanette was first produced on Broadway in 1925, so it’s somewhat surprising that South Bay Musical Theatre chose this “Roaring 20s”-era show to open its 2024-25 season. Turns out it was a good choice.
What makes it so surprising that No, No Nanette was such a hit on Broadway is the fact that its storyline (written by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel) is, in this reviewer’s opinion, so just plain silly.
And to that SBMT added some strong acting performances, fine set designs by Brett Carlson, and gorgeous costumes by Amanda Seguin. Plus, music director George Yefchak conducts a large, melodious orchestra that makes audiences remember the Roaring 20s with songs like “I Want to be Happy,” “Tea for Two,” “Take a Little One-Step” and –- naturally: “No, No Nanette.”
The standout number is “I Want to be Happy,” which is not only sung but tapped by several of the main characters, plus the hard-working ensemble members. Here, Christina Bolognini as Sue Smith stands out with her fine tap performance. It goes to show that, as a truism, whenever there’s a tap number, the whole show gets better.
Nanette opens in the large living room of Jimmy Smith (a fine characterization by Michael Paul Hirsch). The scene-stealing maid Pauline (a hilarious Judith Miller) clomps around angrily as she declares she’s quitting soon (she never does).
What makes life unbearable for Pauline is that a vacuum cleaner follows her around and spooks her when she least expects it to show up. The mysterious moving vacuum cleaner is almost a character in itself!
“…just don’t try to make sense of the plot! …”
Smith is a millionaire Bible publisher who enjoys throwing his money around – for a lot of worthy causes. But his wife Sue (Christina Bolognini) is an entrenched penny-pincher. Her best friend Lucille Early (a standout performance by Jessica Whittemore) is just the opposite. She loves spending money on herself – and her wardrobe shows it. Lucille is married to Jimmy’s lawyer Billy Early (a nice turn by Michael Rhone) who enjoys making his wife happy.
So where does the “Nanette” in the title fit in? Jimmy and Sue are Nanette’s guardians, and they’ve tried their best to shield her from anyone who might be after her for her money. Melissa Momboisse, as Nanette, certainly appears a tad spoiled and a lot sheltered. She mostly does what her guardians tell her to do—up to a point.
They’ve found a fine young man for her: Tom Trainer (Ryan Liu), but Nanette stubbornly declares that she needs to live it up a little before settling down. Her bestie Lucille agrees, so she and Nanette plot a trip – supposedly to visit Nanette’s grandmother but, actually, to big, bustling Atlantic City.
To try to fathom the subterfuge and shenanigans that take place from there on is too difficult to describe. Best to just enjoy the performances, the singing and dancing and the nostalgia that wafts out everywhere.
Mention must be made of the three charming but eccentric ladies referred to as Betty from Boston (Heather Mae Steffan), Flora from Frisco (Lauren Jiang) and Winnie from Washington (Beth McClelland). Who they are and why they’re such a big part of the plot is left to the audience to decide – but they are a delightful diversion.
As charming and winsome as she is, Momboisse, as Nanette, seems to have been given a rather… interesting …stage direction: to hold both her arms in an “L” shape—sometimes when she’s talking and at times when she’s singing. Well, OK. And on with the show…
There’s also the rather unbelievable plot twist of Jim, the Bible-publishing billionaire, “keeping” the aforesaid feminine trio—not for the usual reason of extramarital fun but because he’s altruistically helping each of them further their chosen career pursuits. (And if you believe that, there’s a bridge in Brooklyn that’s available for sale at a great price!)
Nevertheless, all’s well that ends well. No, No Nanette is full of silly, infectious fun with some fine performances, songs, dances and costumes.
-30-
Aisle Seat Executive Reviewer Joanne Engelhardt is a Peninsula theatre writer and critic. She is a voting member of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC). Contact: [email protected]
| Production | No, No, Nanette |
|---|---|
| Written by | Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel |
| Music by | Vincent Youmans |
| Directed by | Doug Greer |
| Producing Company | South Bay Musical Theatre |
| Production Dates | Thru Oct. 19th |
| Production Address | Saratoga Civic Theater 13777 Fruitvale Ave., Saratoga |
| Website | www.SouthBayMT.com |
| Telephone | (408) 266-4734 |
| Tickets | $27 – $59 |
| Reviewer Score | Max in each category is 5/5 |
| Overall | 4.25/5 |
| Performance | 4.25/5 |
| Script | 4/5 |
| Stagecraft | 4.5/5 |
| Aisle Seat Review PICK? | Yes! |