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Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Hong Kong anymore.

Good thing I don’t work on Sundays, cause I’m really hungover right now - I feel like I’m back in high school.

Last night, thanks to a piano student of mine taking me to an amateur (a.k.a. artists who work for free) production of the musical “Anything Goes”. Those who don’t love musicals are merely ignorants of a GOOD one done properly (it’s so easy to caricaturize a musical and ruin it all). Musical Theatre is my noodle salads and Sunday picnics, light-hearted stories with belt-out showtunes, the tappity tap-dance, the 1930s hairdo, and the sailors’ outfits. “Anything Goes” is running till Tuesday if you happen to be in Hong Kong, tickets are currently sold for HK$250 each (US$32) — all proceeds go directly to the orchestra.

I have to say, for amateurs - this production is “Pretty Good”. With exception of a boring and complacent leading actress, the rest of cast was adorably dedicated to a passionate level with a good dose of choreography and lively stage design. I particularly enjoy their decision to move the orchestra up onto the stage instead of the traditional way where they hide below the stage. It was an intelligent solution to lack of space, and as a result, the band added class and life to the platform. It was a very realistic scene as well since most of the story took place in a transatlantic ship where the musicians are part of the crew.

The group tap dancing could use more rehearsals and some can use more one-on-one instructions, but the dynamic duo tappers had raised the bar for Hong Kong Broadway musicals. The choice of the musical was fitting - with talents from all walks making silly jokes and contagious dancing and happy ending. I was surprised at the racial (Chinese) jokes they made thorough the show, but hey - silly is as silly does.

The show makes me wanna booze and dance and party like the 1930s.

*************

So for rest of the night, I boozed and danced and partied the 2008 way.

After the show, we went to a nearby jazz bar with the cast. When I walked into the bar, I completely forgot I was in Hong Kong. It reminds me of those smoky nightclubs up in west-end Manhattan with all the fixings - pretty gay boys with big blue eyes who wear makeup better than I do, gorgeous latino man with his gelled up curly hair sparkling in the dim light, sultry women straight from the cover of 1920’s Vogue laughing and smiling, atmosphered by talented jazz musicians you’ll only get to hear them perform by chance.

After my first couple of drinks, off I cabbed to Causeway Bay and joined a spray-painting farewell party. (I’d show you the pictures of these graffitis, but it wouldn’t be legal.) Then we zipped back to Central and hit the Gecko bar - a very popular hole in the wall hang out in Soho.

Even as my feet are dancing to the techno-tunes - I still have the show tune running in my head - “A-NY-THING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOES~!”

Tony Award winning performance of the great and fabulous Patti Lupone with the revival cast doing their big number in Lincoln Center’s 1987 production.

***Lyrics to Anything Goes

Times have changed,
And we’ve often rewound the clock,
Since the Puritans got a shock,
When they landed on Plymouth Rock.
If today,
Any shock they should try to stem,
‘Stead of landing on Plymouth Rock,
Plymouth Rock would land on them.

In olden days a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking,
But now, God knows,
Anything Goes.

Good authors too who once knew better words,
Now only use four letter words
Writing prose, Anything Goes.

The world has gone mad today
And good’s bad today,
And black’s white today,
And day’s night today,
When most guys today
That women prize today
Are just silly gigolos
And though I’m not a great romancer
I know that I’m bound to answer
When you propose,
Anything goes

When grandmama whose age is eighty
In night clubs is getting matey with gigolo’s,
Anything Goes.

When mothers pack and leave poor father
Because they decide they’d rather be tennis pros,
Anything Goes.

If driving fast cars you like,
If low bars you like,
If old hymns you like,
If bare limbs you like,
If Mae West you like
Or me undressed you like,
Why, nobody will oppose!
When every night,
The set that’s smart
Is intruding in nudist parties in studios,
Anything Goes.

[RENO, PASSENGERS & CREW]
The world has gone mad today
And good’s bad today,
And black’s white today,
And day’s night today,
When most guys today
That women prize today
Are just silly gigolos
And though I’m not a great romancer
I know that I’m bound to answer
When you propose,
Anything goes

[RENO]
If saying your prayers you like,
If green pears you like
If old chairs you like,
If back stairs you like,
If love affairs you like
With young bears you like,
Why nobody will oppose!

[ALL]
And though I’m not a great romancer
I know that I’m bound to answer
When you propose,
Anything goes…
Anything goes!