This new musical comedy
started its career in 1966 at an Off-Off-Broadway stage, and in 1968 opened
Off-Broadway where it became a hit. The original score by Jim Wise and George
Haimsohn & Robin Miller was a pastiche/tribute to the Warner movie musicals
of the 30s and it was a delight. The success of the show took it to the London
stage, where it opened in 1969.
The original Off-Broadway
cast recording with Bernadette Peters has always been a pleasure to my ears and
this London cast is as good as that one. Instead of Peters, we have Sheila
White. Her sweet voice has a naïve quality and an old fashion style that makes
her perfect for the role of Ruby, she also shows a funny side that is missing
on Peters’ performance. Just listen to her renditions of “Raining in My Heart”
or “Star Tar” to see what I mean. With Blayne Barrington she shares two
irresistible romantic duets, “It’s You” and “There’s Something About You”.
Alone, Barrington delivers a nostalgic “Broadway Baby” (not to be confused with
the Stephen Sondheim song).
Joyce Blair has a great time
with the contagious “Wall Street” and the torch song “That Mister Man of Mine”.
She also shares a funny duet with Kevin Scott, “The Beguine”, where Scott seems
to hold on a note for too long with good comic results. Rita Burton shakes the
glooms away from the cast and from us with the rousing “Good Times are Here to
Stay” and with William Ellis takes us on a melodious “Choo-Choo Honeymoon”. Later,
Ellis gives us the musical tragedy “Singapore Sue”, a very Oriental number, and
who could resist the charms of “The Echo Waltz”, the title song and “Let’s Have
a Simple Wedding”? I can’t!
This recording is musical
heaven for anyone who, like me, loves traditional musical scores and it’s so
deliciously funny and melodious that it’s impossible not to succumb to its
charms. Personally, I simply love this kind of stuff! This is pastiche at its
best!
Rate: 9 (from 1 to 10)
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