The musical that dances to the beat of Earth, Wind and Fire, Hot Feet, will begin performances at Broadway's Hilton Theatre on April 20, but audiences in Washington, D.C. are getting to see the world premiere of the tuner at the National Theatre. Starring Vivian Nixon, Michael Balderrama, Keith David, Ann Duquesnay and Allen Hidalgo, the plot is loosely based on The Red Shoes and centers on a young girl trying to make it as a dancer. Did critics think the production, which is directed and choreographed by Maurice Hines, was a shining star?
Here is a sampling of what they had to say:
Peter Marks of The Washington Post: "Hot Feet dances the night away merrily oblivious to the fact that ultimately, the foot bone is connected to the brain bone… It banks on the notion that you'll believe perspiration can be a substitute for inspiration... This is one of those odd occasions on which the performers in the background become stars by default… Nixon, daughter of dancer-choreographer Debbie Allen, seems more suited to ballet than hip-hop, and she and Balderrama, as her lover, generate zero electricity. If there are any consolations, they are that the show moves at a decent clip, and some of the dancers' acrobatics get the old blood flowing. But they cannot hide the jaw-dropping truth: Hot Feet is a serpentine misfire."
Paul Harris of Variety: "[An] infectious dose of energy soars while the band's hits are performed. But an inane book and subpar acting undermine the fancy moves... [Heru Ptah] strives to give his dialogue a streetwise rap feel, but his book is more conspicuous for its insufferable lines and frequent forays into areas of questionable taste. Attempts at rhyme and alliteration produce lines like 'You repugnant, rancid little wretch' and 'Music courses through my veins like crack cocaine…' While intoning such dialogue with conviction would test any thesp, the Hot Feet principals are generally weak in their speaking assignments... [Nixon's] graceful in the ballet-infused numbers created for her but often wooden and lacking the star power her role demands. Balderrama is miscast as the studly choreographer, and David over-emotes as the power- and sex-hungry producer. Duquesnay gives a more convincing perf as the worried mother while Hidalgo is entertaining as the merchant... Fortunately, the evening is filled with dazzling numbers."
