Dear World

[Urban]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 6:38am

What are peoples opinions of the show/cast recording. I have been listening to it recently and I have to say I do like it. I will admit it is rather... all over the place... not settling on any theme, but does sound to be an extremely strong recording (of course I am completely biased towards anything starring Angela).

I heard the book wasn't that good, but what killed the show and pretty much killed it so good that it seems to have as much chance at a revival as "Dude: The Musical".

Don't ask me why I am asking this question, I really guess I just have read one to many people claiming "Dear World" to be 'completely misunderstood' yadda yadda yadda (then again I have heard the same thing about "Pippin" so take that as you will).
Updated On: 7/23/05 at 06:38 AM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 7:34am

I think the score is delightful and the performances are superb, but I have read the script and I must say, the book really is as bad as everyone says. For it to ever work on-stage again, it would have to be seriously re-written.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 7:50am

It was also a big flopperu with Kate Hepburn in 1969 as the straight film version "Madwoman of Chaillot".

[Urban]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 1:15pm

If the book is really that bad, I should track down a copy to read - if only for entertainment value at its badness (what can I say I like flops)

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 1:17pm

I love this cast recording.

"I Don't Want To Know" is one of my favorite showtunes ever.

I always have the garbage song stuck in my head.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 2:15pm

It was also a big flopperu with Kate Hepburn in 1969 as the straight film version "Madwoman of Chaillot".

You're confusing Dear World with Coco. Katharine Hepburn was never involved with Dear World. Angela Lansbury played The Madwoman, and won a Tony. But, it was still a big flop, as was Coco.

[roquat]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 2:23pm

The show had one of those chaotic development periods, with directors and choreographers hired and fired and extensive re-writing after the out-of-town tryout. By the time it opened, there had already been so much bad press about it (see "Merrily We Roll Along") that it never had a chance, and critics ignored the genuine achievements in the score. "I Don't Want to Know" is a great song, and could serve as an anthem for anyone working in the arts.

Jerry Herman himself said that the original French play it came from ("Madwoman of Chaillot") was very fragile and whimsical, and trying to redo it as a big, brassy Broadway show destroyed its charm. (This was also what sank the Katharine Hepburn film--overselling). He had originally envisioned a small, "Jacques Brel"-flavored chamber musical, but Lansbury's casting demanded a big, opulent approach, and audiences who came expecting another "Mame" were angered.

I don't think a Broadway (or off-Broadway) revival is entirely out of the question--the message about the importance of individual freedom in the midst of war and commerce is as timely as ever.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 2:24pm

Hepburn did star in a flop film version of the Madwoman of Chaillot back in the 1960s -- I remember seeing it and it was terrible.

[Glebb]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 2:28pm

The 2nd record (FOLLIES always stood in front) in my mom's stack was "Dear World". I was always curious but never listened to it.
I have seen pictures of Hepurn in the film version but alas have never seen the film.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 2:31pm

It was one of Herman's best scores and is dark, well for Herman.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 2:59pm

I think the score contains some of Herman's best work: Kiss Her Now, Mad Women's Trio, I Never Said I Love You...

I think a small, charming 'She Loves Me' style production could be successful.

Oh, and the orchestrations are delightful.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 7/23/05 at 6:51pm

The songs are wonder. "And I was Beautiful"" is one of Herman's most beautiful melodies fitted with a touching lyric. "I Don't Want To Know", "I Never Said I Loved You", "Kiss Her Now" and the woonderful Tea Part sequence make it an album to treasure.

But.... (you knew there had to be a But here...) it is the wrong score for that play. It tries to be a big brassy Broadway musical when the source material cries out for small chamber opera approach. I always assumed from teh cast album that it was some unappreciated masterpiece - until I saw it staged and realized how tuby bad the script is. There is alos no sense of collaboration. Herman maybe thought he was writing a sequent to MAME while the authors retain little of Giraudoux and much of what they wrote just isn't funny. Not that seeing how bad the script is has dampened my enthusiasm for teh cast album one bit. For Angela fans, Jerry herman fans, floppo musicals fans it is an absolute must-have.

[Urban]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 1:04am

^héhé, I am an Angela, Herman AND floppo fan!

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 7/24/05 at 10:52pm

The Eureka Theatre in San Francisco did a fairly successful semi-staged version a few years ago. I saw the show and enjoyed it very much (I've always liked the score). It has a great deal of charm and yes, the story is indeed still relevant in today's society. I agree that an Off-Broadway revival would make the most sense

[WSStory]

Posted: 7/29/05 at 10:36pm

Like the score, don't love it. I do love the window card art!










Updated On: 7/30/05 at 10:36 PM

[Urban]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 11:01am

hushpuppy - That SF staging sounded wonderful. I can really imagine "Dear World" being more powerful in a more cosy, intimate setting.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 11:06am

I remember seeing Dear World. I did enjoy it. Some numbers in the show were not on the CD if I recall

I once heard Kander & Ebb though Happy Time would be a great small little musical but it was given the grand treatment

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 11:19am

You might want to go to the Ïnterviews feature of this site and scroll down to the article I did about Kurt Peterson who was featured in the show with Angela. He shares some anecdotes about the show. It's called "Whatever Happened to Kurt Peterson?"

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 11:22am

I love Kurt Peterson. Such a voice. He's on 3 of my favorite cast recordings.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/30/05 at 11:24am

Kurt's a great guy to interview. It was a pleasure working with him and we've kept in touch since I did the interview.

Expect to see him back on stage soon.

[Urban]

Posted: 7/31/05 at 3:24am

Thanks for the info Dollypop. Will search for the interview now!

[Flahooley]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 2:51pm

Didn't Chita Rivera do a revised version of the show sometime in the 1990's?

[children&art]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 2:56pm

this is the ONLY Jerry Herman work that i like. score is great, angela lansbury is great. i did expect the book to be similar i greatness to Giradoux's play, but something happened. still, a flop that i love.

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 3:44pm

I love DEAR WORLD. Great score, bad book.

THE GRAND TOUR has a similar problem, except that about half of GT's score is genius and half is padding.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 3/15/06 at 4:07pm

I saw the original production of DEAR WORLD and really liked it. Angela's performance was even better than words can describe. I loved the music, the story and the sets.