I've always been curious about La Plume de Ma Tante. I actually saw the skit with the monks and the bell-pulling routine on The Ed Sullivan Show -- it was absolutely hilarious. Ethan Mordden describes it as a musical revue with virtually no music. The original French production did get a cast album LP, but not the Broadway version. I have read that the show's appeal was mostly as a visual experience that would not translate well on a recording.
Nevertheless, the show was a huge success both with critics and audiences. It's often described as a one-off, not likely to ever be revived. Despite what has been written about it, La Plume did have an orchestra, and both a composer and lyricist were credited in the Playbill. I assume there were no actual songs, but most likely bits and pieces of sung material. |
