My overall impression
I am a great fan of Anthony Newley, and naturally was excited to see this show. Overall, it was a major disappointment. Jon Peterson doesn’t sound at all like Newley. He has a rather thin voice, but the real problem is that he lacks Newley’s depth and darkness, and only occasionally recreates Newley’s unique mannerisms. The show felt rushed, with nearly every song played at the same fast tempo. As the director of a Fringe show myself, I know about the running time rules, but I would have liked a few cuts, thus allowing some songs and dialog to play out at a natural pace. The script was pretty terrible, peppered with stale old jokes, and pedestrian telling of Newley’s life story. Newley and his songs could and should be a great and compelling show, but this isn’t it.
