'Andrews Brothers' Promotes Empty Nostalgia

Nostalgia is running high at Musical Theatre West, as another Roger Bean jukebox songfest is taking center stage, with the West Coast premiere of The Andrews Brothers.  Where as his last similar crowd pleaser, The Marvelous Wonderettes has been playing to he quaint El Portal Theatre, this latest production is thrown into the midst of the rather cavernous Carpenter Performing Arts Center, a venue far too large for such a modest show.

Audience pandering tends to be the key to Bean's works, as these nearly bookless musicals provide nothing more than a hummable evening at the theatre, although catchy songs are more than Harvey Fierstein recently provided to San Diego crowds with his dour A Catered Affair.  Of course, musicals with strong books are what theatre yearns for, and The Andrews Brothers comes up short in that department.

With the continual spawning of jukebox musicals, both on Broadway and across the country, each devoid of strong thematic elements, live theatre's duty to further cultural commentary is abandoned like a sinking ship.  Such mindless fanfare should be left to summer Hollywood blockbusters.  Even musical comedies can find a way to add something to the American conversation.

The Andrews Brothers is built around the flimsy premise of three brothers working for the USO in the South Seas during World War II.  Set to join the famed Andrews Sisters on their final jaunt singing for the troops, the trio suddenly finds themselves the center of attention following a bout of illness for the sisters.  While merely stagehands, each has a knack for song and dance, of course, and with the help of the visiting blond bombshell Peggy, put together a rousing concert, in full drag. 

If this sounds at all familiar, it might be due to the recent glorious revival of another WWII musical set in the same locale, South Pacific, which just opened on Broadway.  Whereas the New York counterpart encompasses a sweeping romance and strong racial tensions, The Andrews Brothers is left with little more than a handful of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby gags and a litany of 1940's chart toppers.

With all its gleeful energy placed on the madcap hijinks of putting on a USO show, The Andrews Brothers lacks those obvious darker themes of wartime, and in a world tired of military occupations, light-hearted war stories are somewhat laughable.  While theatre is often meant to alleviate real-life stresses, providing an escape from reality, it is just a little too cheeky of a story to gloss over any actual warfare consequences.

Having served overseas in the Air Force myself, I can attest that in modern times there is little sense of charm or quaintness left in the USO that The Andrews Brothers inevitably showcases.  Where this show succeeds is in its unabashed sense of nostalgia.  Darcie Robert's (Peggy) pin-up good looks and period perfect vocals set a warming mood for the three brothers, nicely played by Stan Chandler, David Engel and Larry Raben, none of whom are strangers to this ilk of show, having all been original members of Forever Plaid.

What remains admirable about The Andrews Brothers, and all those performers the show pays tribute to, like Hope and Crosby, is their undying commitment to the troops.  Popular culture of the time was rife with love songs to the men and women serving overseas.  Such sentiment is far from the case in America's current state of affairs.  These glimpses into a once prideful country's past are almost depressing.

Audiences can be sure of one thing, they are certain to leave The Andrews Brothers uplifted and tapping their feet to plenty of rich nostalgia filling the theatre, as the show comes off as cheery as a MGM musical.  Directed by Nick DeGruccio, the show boasts resourceful sets by Kevin Clowes which appear like a technicolor postcard.

The Andrews Brothers runs through May 4, 2008 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.  Tickets can be purchased by calling 562-856-1999 ext. 4 or in person at 4350 E. 7th Street in Long Beach.  The theatre is located at 6200 Atherton Street in Long Beach.  For more information, visit www.musical.org.  And for more from James Sims visit www.simsscoop.com.

Photos by Alysa Brennan. (1) Stan Chandler, David Engel, Larry Raben and Darcie Roberts (2) Larry Raben (3) Stan Chandler, Darcie Roberts, Larry Raben and David Engel.

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