The Magic Show with Doug Henning

[bobby_luvs_bway]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 3:24pm

I was recently given the cast recording for The Magic Show. Although I do like some of the music; I'm fascinated by how this must've worked on stage. Did anyone see this? I know they filmed it at some point as Amazon has it for sale, but the reviews state it is different than what was on stage. Also, did anyone see Merlin (also with Doug Henning)? Could this type of show be revived?
Updated On: 1/19/10 at 03:24 PM

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 3:35pm

There's a chapter on it in the new Schwartz book.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 3:48pm

I saw Merlin -- it was a disaster. I felt sorriest for poor Chita Rivera being stuck in it -- what a waste of talent!

[JRybka]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 4:19pm

Ed... wrong show. The Magic Show was something different then Merlin.

I have a copy of The Magic Show. It is totally 70s camp but it is fun to see some of the great cast in it.

[WestVillage]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 4:31pm

I saw both of them. Magic Show was fun, a showcase for Doug Henning, but also starring the incomparable Anita Morris (in her solid silver platform shoes), who was replaced by Rita Rudner. Some great songs came out of Magic Show: West End Avenue, Lion Tamer, both sung by Dale Soules, who was standby in Grey Gardens for Mary Louis Wilson.

Merlin, on the other hand, was not fun. Poor Chita. Poor Nathan Lane. And a young Christian Slater. Nothing memorable about it; it was trying to ride on the coattails of the success of Magic Show, but this one didn't fly. It was pretty cringe-worthy.

[JRybka]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 4:42pm

I love some of this music...Silver Solid is one of the best songs....

I also love Lion Tamer and West End Avenue and also Two's Company.

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 5:12pm

I too saw both and mostly agree with what's been said. I'd add that although The Magic Show had some nifty songs by Schwartz, Anita Morris, etc. it wasn't very good. Doug Henning was stiff as a board, and as he didn't sing, the musical numbers were never really landed in the show. In fact, the script sucked and the characters were mostly uninteresting.

Merlin was just a mistake. It actually was sort of amusing as it was so bad. I remember being in awe of how bad it was.

[bobby_luvs_bway]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 5:35pm

Thanks for all the insight. I remember watching Mr. Henning's tv specials as a kid (we used to howl at his chipmunk like overbite and strange pronunciation of the word illusion.) I had no idea he had done a Broadway show. He was fun to watch on those specials though.

[alterego]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 6:49pm

Anita Morris didn't do 'Solid Silver Platform Shoes'. That song was sung by the characters of Dina and Donna. The show was a magic show to showcase Doug Henning. There was the thinest of plots wrapped around the tricks much like there is the thinest of plots wrapped around old pop songs in many of todays jukebox musicals. Come to think of it, compared to todays jukebox shows it was like Shakespeare!

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 9:39pm

Yeah. Stephen Schwartz describes the situation in the new Sondheim and Co.-like book on his career as something like this: Henning couldn't sing, so what they tried to do was use his magic tricks to advance the plot in a way that the songs would for a more talented performer.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 10:00pm

I recall seeing THE MAGIC SHOW twice. It was enjoyable and some of the "illusions" were mind boggling. I liked the score too--gotta pull out the black vinyl CD and give it another listen.

MERLIN was unmitigated junk. A waste of everyone's talents, including Doug Henning, Chita Rivera and Nathan Lane.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 10:20pm

I saw this several times (knew someone connected to the production) and thought it was great fun. The magic was very impressive, the score at minimum listenable with some stand-out numbers (especially West End Avenue which is probably the only time "Zabar's" and "gay bars" were rhymed in a Broadway show)and a dazzling performance by Anita Morris.

Unfortunately, the DVD of a Toronto performance eliminated many of the show's better momemts and songs.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 1/19/10 at 10:34pm

JRypka, I know that Magic Show was different than Merlin. The original question was if anyone had seen Merlin (which also had Doug Hemmings) and I was responding to that.

Posted: 1/20/10 at 1:46pm

I saw it in 1975 -- sat in the front row of the mezzanine...I was 10. I loved the show...and still think solid silver platform shoes rocks...The plot was insanely light -- Doug Henning good magician, David Ogden Stiers (well before he scored on MASH) bad magician. I don't really remember how most of the tricks fit in...except for Anita Morris being transported to be an assistant and wanting to go back.

[dutch46mill2]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 2:22pm

I don't know if many know but Doug passed away around 2002.But the good memories of drinking beer at Paddy Greens in Hamilton Ontario with Doug, Eugene Levy, Ivan Reitman Dave Thomas around 1970 will not be forgotten. Super funny times.

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 2:26pm

I saw both and The Magic Show was far superior.
Merlin was one of the worst shows I have ever sat through.
At the perforamnce I saw, almost all of the tricks misfired, lighting cues were bad and nothing worked.
It was the only time I have ever booed at the end of a non opera performance.

It was so bad that the New York Times wrote a review before the actual opening night. Opening night kept getting postponed and postponed, so after almost one month and half of previews the Times, citing that the producers were charging full price for previews (this was at a time where previews were usually marked down)wrote a complete pan of the show. They said in their review that when the show opened, if the show had changed, they would re-review. I don't think they re-reviewed.

[bobby_luvs_bway]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 2:38pm

Could this show be revived without using a magician? Or was this built around the presence of Mr. Henning?

[darquegk]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 3:19pm

To be revived, the show would have to be heavily revised, I'd think, including adding music for the magician character. Perhaps reinventing the illusions to be performable by any actor, who would also perform more sleight-of-hand/close up magic as well as singing and dancing.

Neil Patrick Harris, anyone?

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 4:27pm

I saw this during my very first New York visit. It's a fun show, but not in any way outstanding. Might do well in a dinner theatre with name magician. The cast album was briefly issued on the January label, but is now out-of-print and quite rare.

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 7:13pm

There is absolutely no reason to revive The Magic Show. The book is pathetic. If there is to be a "magic show" musical on Broadway, it best to start from scratch. There really isn't much worth saving from The Magic Show except a few catchy tunes.

[Hank]

Posted: 1/20/10 at 7:58pm

The Magic Show was the first Broadway musical I saw. On my first job after college, my division won a sales contest and the prize was a night on the town dinner and show. I suggested The Magic Show, and we all had dinner at Mama Leone's.
The illusions were cool, but I especially liked the musical numbers. West End Avenue is the most memorable.
Needles to say, I've been hooked on musical theatre ever since.

[alterego]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 1:05am

It's a nice nights entertainment that's about it. There was a national tour and productions in both Melbourne, Australia and Mexico City. (The Magic Show).

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 7:00am

frontrow, are you talking about THE MAGIC SHOW or MERLIN?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 10:06am

Neither one is worth reviving.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 1/21/10 at 2:55pm

Anyone jonesing for some terrific magic - Each week, Steve Cohen performs Chamber Magic at the Waldorf Towers.

Really good up-close magic. I've been twice twice. A lot of fun.

Chamber Magic Web Site Updated On: 1/21/10 at 02:55 PM