Good Will Hawking

            Ron Hawking, who dubs himself Chicago's Entertainer, certainly is that.  After becoming a fixture here in the Windy City after his incredible sold out run of his homage to Frank Sinatra, His Way-A Tribute to the Man and His Music, Hawking returns to the Mercury Theatre in The Men and Their Music which covers the hits of such male vocalists as Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Lou Rawls, Frankie Valli and Richard Simmons (oh yes, we were Sweating To The Oldies literally as the air conditioning in the theatre was malfunctioning the night I saw the production).

            Make no mistake, Hawking is a consummate entertainer and there are few that can do what he can do or that have the respect for the material he performs.  The problem, and it is a large problem, is that the physical production distracts from what should be an enjoyable evening that should cross generational lines and expose teens and twenty-somethings to this incredible music.  The physical production, including the lights and the sound actually caused my friend and I to leave during intermission because we both were coming ill with the ridiculous lighting that occurs in most every number.  The Mercury Theatre is a mid size intimate house and to have rock concert vari-lights swivel and swerve right in the audiences' eyes to the point were you have to turn your head or close your eyes because it is so painful when the light hits you, does nothing to help and enhance Mr. Hawking who is giving 150 percent of his energy on the stage.

            The sound at the theatre is amplified to such an extent that Hawking's two very able bodied back up singers sound distorted, not serving the man or his music.  There is no reason this problem cannot be corrected and the masses can once again enjoy and embrace what the show should be about, great male vocalist who shaped not only Mr. Hawking, but the music industry as well.  Mr. Hawking should not have to overcome such obstacles such as lighting and sound and this point in his run.

             The Men and Their Music plays through September 9, 2007 at the Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, Illinois.  For tickets call the box office at (773) 325-1799 or www.Ticketmaster.com.