Review: 'It Shoulda Been You' opens on Broadway
7 / 10
A Jewish bride marries a Christian groom, overbearing mothers go to war, the older sister feels left out and there are countless hitches on the way to getting hitched. If you think you've heard this one, you're only partly right. The new musical 'It Shoulda Been You' takes the wedding day setup that fuels so many romantic comedies, but offers a twist that livens up the proceedings...David Hyde Pierce directs with a sure hand for comedy, and Brian Hargrove contributes book and lyrics full of clever banter. Yet the score by Barbara Anselmi is thoroughly conventional, and, before and after the musical's surprising mid-show revelation, the characters are often overly familiar and the sentiment sticky. The interval of surprise is undeniable, and Anselmi's music is soundly constructed - but one wishes the musical felt more consistently original.
