The Columbus Dispatch
(Online)
June 24, 2007
 

* J.A.M.: Just Another Man - It's always fascinating to be among the first to see a promising, professionally staged new musical. The American Theatre Critics Association got that chance at a Saturday matinee of Clint Holmes' autobiographical show about his cross-racial family and the music (opera, bebop, country and Vegas crooning) that lifted their spirits during family conflicts and life challenges.

The performers, drawn from Vegas' deep pool of Strip and off-Strip talent, couldn't be better, whether singing, dancing or acting. (Holmes himself isn't much of an actor, even playing himself, but his singing and showmanship make his role work.)
The big problem: The script needs a lot of work, especially to resolve a confusing split focus between Holmes (who adds to the confusion by playing a role with a different name) and three generations of his family from the 1940s to today.
The largely Las Vegas-resident audience loved the show and its star, but then, Holmes is a name-brand entertainer in Vegas.

If the London-bound musical - which ended its limited premiere run today (June 24) - is to have a future beyond Vegas, the story and characterizations need to grab our interest and make us care even if we're not familiar with its central character.

 

BACK