Did Critics Gush Over Robert Goulet in La Cage aux Folles?

Robert Goulet has returned to Broadway. He stepped into the role of Georges in the revival of La Cage aux Folles, which also stars Gary Beach, in mid-April and opened for reviews on May 5. Did he make critics believe now is the best of times for this show?

Here is a sampling of what they had to say:

William Stevenson in his Broadway.com Review: "Georges is more the straight-man type, so to speak, and Goulet makes him debonair, smooth and charming. At times he has trouble remembering his lines, but his fans will probably forgive him a few stumbles. Luckily, Goulet's rich baritone makes up for any acting deficiencies. He does a lovely job with 'Song on the Sand' and 'Look Over There,' two ballads that suit his voice perfectly. Beach, on the other hand, is best in upbeat ensemble numbers such as 'La Cage aux Folles' and 'The Best of Times…' This staging of La Cage isn't likely to have people weeping with gay pride, but at least it delivers as splashy entertainment."

Charles Isherwood of The New York Times: "Aside from the occasional hint of strained ambivalence, Mr. Goulet undertakes the role of Georges, the owner of a transvestite nightclub on the Riviera who is facing a rising soufflé of domestic conflict, with a welcome air of crisp professionalism. At 71, and working with just one of his original hips, Mr. Goulet is, admittedly, not particularly agile. He merely sketches in the few dance steps he's required to perform in a brief duet with Gary Beach, who plays Georges's lover, Albin. And he rarely strays too far from a solid piece of furniture. But his infirmity is not a serious drawback. In fact it comes to invest his performance with a pleasing symbolism: he stands as a still beacon of determined restraint amid the frantic vulgarity that surrounds him."

Clive Barnes of The New York Post: "Goulet's still radiant grin is in better shape than his joints, giving his movements rather less grace than before. But when sings, or even speaks, the years fall away. His gorgeous voice seems untouched by time, and his dapper presence fills the stage… With Robert Goulet's new, expansively embracing Georges, Beach seems revitalized, appearing to find a passion and pathos in the role previously eluding him."

Howard Kissel of The New York Daily News: "[Goulet's] voice is still resonant, firm and rich. It works especially well in 'Song on the Sand,' the tender ballad that is one of composer Jerry Herman's best. As an actor, Goulet does not have Davis' assurance, perhaps because he's been doing the role only a few weeks. Comedy demands crisp rhythms, and sometimes Goulet gives the impression he is not sure of his lines. But the casual ease he displays onstage, if not always effective for laughs, is certainly right for the character."

David Rooney of Variety: "Pass the Vicodin. Judging by the difficulty Robert Goulet shows in clambering up and down stairs or hauling himself in and out of chairs in La Cage aux Folles, the show's painkiller bill soon will be right up there with its depilatory wax tab. But while the new lead's voice might have lost some of its power with the passing decades, Goulet's lush baritone lends a mellow charm and his Vegas-style, gentlemanly elegance brings a welcome relaxed quality to a show that otherwise has slid into shrill sitcom mugging and hysterical door-slamming farce."

Michael Kuchwara of The Associated Press: "There's an affable, self-deprecating charm to Goulet's performance that gives this production of La Cage a gentle, heartwarming lift. You actually believe he is Georges, the well-meaning father of a heterosexual son who wants dad to hide his gay relationship so the offspring can impress his incipient in-laws. In an age of frantic, aggressive musical-theater performances, the laid-back Goulet doesn't push. His relaxed attitude nicely complements Gary Beach, who portrays Albin, the more flamboyant, hyper member of this union. Together, they make a perfect husband and wife, and La Cage, which has a well-crafted book by Harvey Fierstein, milks this unusual family relationship for all its worth."

Gordon Cox of Newsday: "Goulet has a suave bullhorn of a voice, which he shows off to fine effect in tunes such as 'Song on the Sand' and 'Look Over There,' the thoughtful ballads tucked away among the adhesive anthems 'I Am What I Am' of Jerry Herman's score. His singing, however, is the only persuasive part of his performance. As a nightclub impresario coping with his son's unorthodox decision to marry a woman, Goulet delivers his dialogue without much force or commitment, and spends enough time looking at his palms to make you wonder if some of his lines are written there. Goulet's stolidity can't carry the rapid-fire, old-fashioned yuks of the Harvey Fierstein book."