See it if
you can deal with musical theatre stripped down to its essentials: terrific material, a talented cast & Sutton's pitch perfect technique.
Don't see it if
You're expecting Fosse or his Rich Man's Frug, a large orchestra or the usual bells and whistles that so often make the Bway musical go.
The New Group’s Sweet Charity is a big show in an intimate space with a big sound amazingly played by an all female band of only six musicians placed high above the stage facing the audience.
A lot has been made of this being a stripped down version of the show, but there's nothing stripped down when talent is paired with good material. While the space may be intimate, the performances are full on, leaving the impression of what it might feel like to be sitting on the stage of the Winter Garden watching the show. The actors are that close.
Considering source & subject, Sweet Charity has always been bittersweet, & Sutton Foster's Charity is an earthier, goofier, darker Charity, perfect for the darker times we live in. Her incredible timing and performing technique combine with an infectious joy shared by the terrific cast of singers & dancers.
The new choreography would be fine if not for the Fosse factor, but the excellent dancers shine with what they have.
All in all, go; it's a fun evening.
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