The Look Of Love

By Keith Boykin, in theater
Thursday, May 22 2003, 11:53AM

If you like Burt Bacharach or Desmond Richardson, you'll like The Look Of Love now showing on Broadway. If not, you could be in for a long night. The Look Of Love is an entertaining but uneven ensemble musical revue that celebrates the artistic genius of Burt Bacharach through song and dance.

The first thing you realize about The Look Of Love is just how accomplished and prolific Bacharach has been throughout his career. Along with lyricist Hal David, Bacharach has created some of our most beloved music, and many of those tunes are included in this show.

The show begins when the entire company joins Capathia Jenkins in singing the title song, "The Look Of Love." From there, the familiar tunes continue on and on. "There's Always Something There to Remind Me" is followed by "I Say a Little Prayer," "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head," "Walk on By," and "A House Is Not A Home." And that's just the first act.

The second act features hit songs "Alfie," "Do You Know The Way to San Jose," "Close to You," "Promises, Promises" and finishes with "What the World Needs Now Is Love."

Some of the performances are inspired and creative, while others, unfortunately, fall flat. The show suffers from including too many different types of songs without any clear cohesive theme. But when it does pull together a theme, it sometimes works and sometimes just misses the mark.

The first act finale featuring "Walk On By," "A House Is Not a Home" and "One Less Bell to Answer" tries valiantly to create a torch song trilogy as the three singers perform their heartbreak songs separately and then remain on stage to sing together. The idea is wonderful, but the execution falls short as the three discordant sounds fight against each other.

The second act tries to construct a travel theme, joining the songs "Trains and Boats and Planes" followed by "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" and then "Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa." But the middle song is the most familiar and overshadows the other two.

The one theme that did work well came from Desmond Richardson's amazing dance performance to "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head," which ended with a stroke of thunder and lightning, followed by an umbrella-clad Capathia Jenkins singing "Are You There (with Another Girl)."

Although billed as a musical revue, the dance numbers stole the show. The audience responded enthusiastically every time Desmond Richardson took the stage. His lithe, muscular and sinewy body exuded sexual energy that was mostly lacking from the other performers, and his presence as a singer and a dancer seemed to brighten up the show.

Also noteworthy were the trio of Shannon Lewis, Janine LaManna and Rachelle Rak in the Fosse-inspired first act performance of "What's New Pussycat" and then again in the campy 70s-style second act performance of "Wishin' and Hopin'"

Still, the talented performers were no match for the familiar memories that the songs evoked. Who else but Dionne Warwick can sing "I Say A Little Prayer," "Walk on By" or "Do You Know the Way to San Jose"? Those songs are forever connected to her. And only Luther Vandross should ever be allowed to sing "A House Is Not A Home," which Jonathan Dokuchitz tried admirably to perform but could not compete even with sick Luther.

In a surprisingly multiracial cast, the black and Latino performers stood out. Capathia Jenkins and Nikki Renee Daniels (subbing for Allyson Turner) sang their hearts out. Latino recording artist Kevin Ceballo added spice with a Spanish version of "I'll Never Fall In Love Again." And of course Desmond Richardson, one of the world's best dancers, sang, danced and performed his way into the hearts of the audience.

The set designer, director and choreographer made creative use of the on-stage elevator and spinning spiral disc, but the show could have been stronger if it cut out a few weak songs, re-cast a few performers and created a more cohesive theme. Nevertheless, if you simply want a fun night of familiar music, then The Look Of Love won't disappoint.

The Look Of Love is now playing at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 W. 47th Street.