Review Roundup: ANYTHING GOES Tour Docks in Durham!

Robert W. McDowell, Triangle Arts & Entertainment: So, how does the national tour of Anything Goes differ from the Broadway revival? "It's not much different at all," claims Josh Franklin, who has performed in both the Broadway revival and the tour. He adds, "Obviously, the cast is different. The tour cast members bring its own timing and personalities to their roles." But, Franklin notes, that the tour has the same sets the same costumes, and the same director and choreographer as the award-winning 2011 Broadway revival.

Charles Runnells, News-Press: Sure, some of the scenes drag a bit, and the script is full of implausible situations and jokey one-liners that might make you groan. But, then again, that's part of the fun. This show doesn't take itself too seriously, and neither should you.

Dathan Kazsuk, Triangle Busuness Journal: Cole Porter's timeless classic "Anything Goes" debuted at the Durham Performing Arts Center on Tuesday and will run through March 19-24, and one thing is for certain - it makes you feel a little safer to step foot on a cruise ship these days. The performance, which won a Tony Award in 2011 for Best Choreography, features an amazing cast of singer-dancers, including Rachel York as Reno Sweeny, Fred Applegate as Moonface Martin and newcomer Alex Finke as Hope Harcourt, the fair maiden set to get married on the voyage.

Jimmy Ferraro, BroadwayWorld: Glamorous, platinum haired, Rachel York stars as the brash, fast talking, wise-cracking, Reno Sweeney. Her character and line delivery are reminicent of Mae West and Rosalind Russell. Miss York is a dynamo, a triple threat. She acts, she has an unbelievable "set of pipes", and WOW!, does she dance! She commands the stage at all times with impeccable comic timing, landing every joke and one liner with a bang! Miss. York is not only a bombastic belter, but she also has a beautiful, lyrical soprano as well. And she is "easy on the eyes" too. Miss York looks perfectly stunning in every scene. She left the audience in wonderment after belting full blast and tapping her brains out, in the high energy showstopper of the title song, ending Act I. And then, she continued to belt and dance in Act II with "Blow Gabriel, Blow!" and then there was more and more of the same...How does she do it? An amazing performance!

Dawn Baumgartner, Herald Sun: The current revival of "Anything Goes," the 1930s-set ship comedic musical featuring Cole Porter music is a big, bold Broadway production, said its star, Rachel York, who portrays Reno Sweeney. "Anything Goes" comes to the Durham Performing Arts Center on Tuesday for a six-day run. York spoke with The Herald-Sun by phone last week from the tour stop in Tampa, Fla. The original play, written during the Great Depression, gave people what they craved then, York said. "Romance, comedy, to be taken away from life," she said. "This show - you go on a cruise for two hours," York said. There are singing sailors, disguises, blackmail and romance. Even though the book has been rewritten, a lot of the jokes still work, she said. York also loves the costumes and said it was such a debonair period, with style.

Larisa Mount, BroadwayWorld: Anything Goes is spot-on, wonderfully directed, (seemingly) effortlessly executed, and fantastically fun. Throw your worries overboard for a few hours - you won't regret it.