Broadway-style froth in Anything Goes

When you have a commanding soprano voice that soars to the rafters like Christina O’Dell’s, everyone else’s vocals pale by comparison.

As the sexy nightclub evangelist Reno Sweeney in the invigorating revival of Anything Goes that opened Wednesday at Walterdale Playhouse, O’Dell delivers a big, shining stage presence.

When she leads the company in Blow, Gabriel, Blow, a gospel-flavoured tune, it’s like attending a Baptist revival to purge the devil. It’s loud, brassy and punctuated with swing.

O’Dell is the latest in young actresses playing a coveted role Broadway composer Cole Porter originally created for the legendary Ethel Merman in 1934. Few have measured up to the musical comedy queen of brass. However O’Dell has the heart and soul of a worthy challenger.

Under the direction of Barbara Mah, this two-hour plus musical comedy makes no pretense of a plot. It’s a silly tale of romance, deception and celebrity-chasing on the high seas strung together by a plush assortment of Porter’s champagne jazz.

The fizzy songs are a reflection of the much-in-demand escapist entertainment of the Depression era, when tough times demanded bold smiles, withering wisecracks and over-the-top luxury.

This is a production that doesn’t provide insights into the world. It’s a “let’s kick back” show with a predictable plot and frothy songs that require no mental effort. Yet Anything Goes impresses with its wit and cleverness.

In creating the musical’s vibe that is sexy, goofy and nonchalant, Mah recruited a team that includes Leland Stelck’s bright and bold Art Deco set and Karin Lauderdale’s elegant, yet striking costumes.

This motley crew of actors puts on the Ritz with one-line zingers, vaudeville style dialogue and bubbly songs that speak to the fun and superficial.

While O’Dell’s Sweeney is the sassy nightclub star, Krista Skwarok’s Hope Harcourt is the muddled ingĂ©nue. She’s torn between marrying Lord Evelyn Oakleigh (Kent Sutherland), a wealthy Englishman who can save her family’s impoverished fortune or Billy Crocker (Kyle Thulien), an up and coming stock trader who epitomizes her romantic dreams.

The ship is peopled with a mixed bag of nuts starting with a captain (John Rusich) desperate to find the famous and infamous for his celebrity-starved passengers.

The multi-talented Morgan Smith takes on the garb of Moonface Martin, a lippy gangster with a heart dedicated to gambling. And there’s Elisha Whitney (Gerald Mason), a nearsighted tycoon that slams into one hopeless situation after another.

But the surprise of the evening was Sutherlund's solo in Gypsy in Me, a peppery tango where the dweeby Englishman transforms into a Spanish conquistador and conquers the love of his life.

While the full cast took over the stage, singing, shimmying and tapping with verve, panache and military-precision synchronicity, the six-piece live band deserved special kudos for their virtual non-stop playing.

So feed the dog, have a light supper, buy a ticket and prepare for a night of mindless fun.