Showboat is a play that is to be spectacular in vision and music, and that is what was expected, not delivered. The sets were very poorly designed and did not suggest the importance of show boats at the time of the story, the sound terrible, and the directing in the case of providing continuity to be able to follow the story, lacking. The costumes did not suggest the time of the story nor presented the idea of the difference between the slaves and richness of the upper class.
Individual singers in the play had great voices, when they could be clearly heard, but were not matched very well with their counterparts, at some times leaving much to be desired in the match.
The dancing was the best part of the play.