Review: Oklahoma State University Theatre's Sweet Charity

Based on a book by Neil Simon, the 1966 Broadway show is being produced by my school, so I went. Honestly, I had no idea what it was about except for the blurb in the school newspaper. I knew that this girl gets stuck in an elevator with an introverted accountant and they fall in love, but that was it. The play has a huge amount of energy and humor, but also a fair share of risque and suggestive poses/lyrics/costumes.

It starts off with the main character, Charity, entering Central Park in New York City and having an imaginary conversation with her silent, preening "boyfriend". She falls into the lake, thanks to her boyfriend who steals her money and runs, and she is rescued by half the city. Later we find out that Charity is a dance hall hostess, which seems to me a step short of a call girl.
I didn't realize that the popular song "Hey Big Spender" came from this play and found myself humming it when the play was over. Anyway, all the hostesses launch into "Hey Big Spender" and soon afterward, Charity and some of the other hostesses decide to branch out in life and we find Charity stuck in an elevator with an accountant. (They were both going to a support group of some kind). The second act meanders the same exuberant way the first act does, but ends in kind of head-scratcher. The production quality is good, given the amateur nature of a university play. The dance numbers were well done, especially "Rich Man's Frug" which was extremely stylistic and well choreographed.

The play is $12 for general admission and $10 for students which is a bit steeper than some of the other plays OSU has done this year. Also, if you can withstand the constant barrage of innuendo and a bit more flesh than is allowed on primetime TV, then you can make a fun night out of this play. Overall, however the play loses a star on it's 2.5+ hour run time, as some things could have been cut. Some racy dialogue could have been spared as well. As is, the play is somewhere between PG-13 and R, so... PG-16 maybe.

Rating: ***