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| re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 08:53 am EDT 07/10/21 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 08:53 am EDT 07/10/21 | |
| In reply to: re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? - BroadwayTonyJ 08:47 am EDT 07/10/21 | |
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| I think "The Good Companions" is one of my favorites. They did a Mufti of it some years ago, and it was lovely. I'd love to see a full production of it -- great score by Andre Previn and Johnny Mercer, and a story that should endear itself to musical audiences about 3 people freeing themselves from their different life situations and ending up joining and supporting a traveling group of performers. | |
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| re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 10:27 am EDT 07/10/21 | |
| In reply to: re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? - PlayWiz 08:53 am EDT 07/10/21 | |
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| I love the Ron Grainer score of Robert and Elizabeth and own cast albums of the '64 original with the glorious June Bronhill and the '87 revival. I've never seen a production and hope that it will eventually get a Mufti revival. I agree about The Good Companions. The original '74 cast recording with John Mills and Judi Dench just oozes with charm. Mercer was such a quintessential American songwriter but really captured British sensibility with his lyrics for Previn's fine score. I particularly enjoy Mills' rendition of "Ta Luv". |
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| re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? | |
| Posted by: scoot1er 01:48 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
| In reply to: re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? - BroadwayTonyJ 10:27 am EDT 07/10/21 | |
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| I saw Robert and Elizabeth in a gorgeous production at Paper Mill in either the late 70s or early 80s. I had always loved the score and was anxious to see it. As I recall—and it was a long time ago—it was old fashioned even then and seemed to be firmly planted in operetta territory. I don’t know if that production was intended as a Broadway tryout, but if it were, it was also clear why it didn’t transfer. A pity as the score and production were beautiful. | |
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| Robert and Elizabeth | |
| Posted by: peter3053 03:36 pm EDT 07/12/21 | |
| In reply to: re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? - scoot1er 01:48 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
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| Robert and Elizabeth made for pretty strong stuff for an operetta - a father's mental abuse of his daughter and oppressive dominance of his family. Also, there was a modern, early 60s (therefore, at the time contemporary) sensibility of rebellion through it. Also, musical montage sequences, one in Act One which I would say had a filmic quality (according to what is described in the script). The Soliloquy by Elizabeth which opens Act Two is the equal of any of the greatest of musical theater songs. And in the original production, the finale which had the train arriving, coming at the audience, is said by those who saw it to have been wonderful. Eminently revivable, but would need money and canny casting, I suspect. |
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| re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 12:45 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 12:37 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
| In reply to: re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? - BroadwayTonyJ 10:27 am EDT 07/10/21 | |
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| John Mills had a very nice singing voice indeed, which he later demonstrated poignantly playing the old theater cat in a televised "Cats" performance. I wonder if he was considered for Henry Higgins back when "My Fair Lady" was cast, though he tended to be cast as more working class to middle class or military roles I think, at least based on things like Pip in "Great Expectations" and his role as Willie in David Lean's wonderful film of "Hobson's Choice". Perhaps he played Alfred Doolittle at some point? I think Marti Webb sounds pretty terrific in "The Good Companions" in her numbers -- great belt in "Stage Struck" and she's very moving in her "Stage Door John" number as well. |
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| re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? | |
| Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 12:50 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
| In reply to: re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? - PlayWiz 12:37 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
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| John Mills played Alfred Doolittle on Broadway in the '87 revival of Pygmalion. Peter O'Toole and Amanda Plummer were Higgins and Eliza. | |
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| Pygmalion was a great revival with those stars | |
| Posted by: FinalPerformance 01:04 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
| In reply to: re: "Charlie Girl" and "Salad Days" - both long West End runs - why not Broadway? - BroadwayTonyJ 12:50 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
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| So fortunate to see that cast with John Mills and Peter O'Toole with a perfect Amanda Plummer. Broadway 1987 seems like yesterday. Once upon a time Broadway had a trove of stars. | |
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| re: Pygmalion was a great revival with those stars | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 01:28 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
| In reply to: Pygmalion was a great revival with those stars - FinalPerformance 01:04 pm EDT 07/10/21 | |
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| That was quite a good production - I'm glad to be reminded that John Mills was in it. He was capable of playing the musical Doolittle as well at some point. | |
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