The popular Encores series of little known and underperformed musicals in concert winds up its 15 th season with a spiffy revival of ANYONE CAN WHISTLE.
This is the legendary Arthur Laurents-Stephen Sondheim musical flop that ran only 9 performances on Broadway in 1964. I was at the closing night of the original production[ and have the playbill to prove it] and loved every minute of its' offbeat, quirky and undisiplined book and new style score.
Now after 46 years it's a pleasure to hear Stephen Sondheim's score performed with the original Don Walker orchestrations, and it is splendidly conducted by Rob Berman leading the always teriffic Encores orchestra.
Forget about Arthur Laurents' convoluted book dealing with a corrupt mayoress who invents a fake miracle to save her bankrupt town. It was a mess in 1964 and is still a mess in its cut down David Ives version.It's the score that matters, and what a score it is.
The cast is perfect from top to bottom,especially Donna Murphy as the corrupt mayoress and Sutton Foster as the head nurse of the local insane asylum,and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw keeps the show moving at top speed, and has provided some zippy dances as well.
Mr. Sondheim is celebrating his 80th birthday this year, and it is fitting that his famous failure should be seen at this time.
Even back in 1964 ANYONE CAN WHISTLE was a true demonstration of Sondheims' genius and Encores is to be congratulated for giving us a chance to see it again.
At THE N.Y. CITY CENTER 131 WEST 55th STREET N.Y.C. APRIL 8THRU APRIL11.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment