Great Score, Shame About The Book- Page 4

[Trap-Door Lover]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 4:15pm

Double post. Updated On: 6/18/08 at 04:15 PM

[Trap-Door Lover]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 4:16pm

I might be one of the few to include South Pacific in this category. Great music but the book and story are just awful.

[Weez]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 4:17pm

I got the impression that Clara wasn't necessarily that young mentally; I know her development was slowed, but I didn't think it had stopped outright.

The problems I have with the book of 'West Side Story' are also the problems I have with 'Romeo & Juliet', so I don't hold them against it. ^_^

[H.Higgins]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 4:17pm

Camelot

is always the first show I think of when considering the topic of "Great Score, Shame About The Book".

The score, IMO, is one of the best ever written. It's divine. The show, I think, is considered a real classic, but it would sit higher on lists of the best musicals if the book could better support the piece and keep it moving along.

[landryjames2]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 4:18pm

I wasn't comparing Gyspy to West Side Story.

Also, again the very minimal production of Funny Girl I saw was anthing but dull. I do agree that the movie made huge improvements, I just don't think that the original book for Funny Girl is as bad as everyone keeps saying it is.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 4:21pm

I had no idea that the "in" thing to do with the mentally handicapped was to marry them to the first bidder.

*sarcasm off*

actually, I'd buy some of that Matt, but Margaret's motivations are all over...over protection at first, but willing to let the most important person in her life marry, thereby losing her.

I would've thought that Margaret would've kept Clara at home forever as a mother of the 50's...Julie Kavner and Linda Purl hadnt paved the way yet for Clara to marry!

Also, creepy was a poor choice of word.

Updated On: 6/18/08 at 04:21 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 4:41pm

It's also sort of insulting to Italian people, claiming that A) They wouldn't notice if someone were mentally impaired and B) It's not like the women there do that much anyway, so Clara wouldn't have any responsibilities.

Maybe it was true (I would not know) but--still.

In the book, she's mentally 10. The musical does a better job of making it seem like she was just overprotected and never had a chance to blossom.

[Antisocialite]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 4:46pm

I forgot to mention: I include almost every show by Cole Porter in this category. The music and lyrics are just great, but the stories range from weak to downright stupid and barely tie in to said music.

[bwayboi4life42]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 5:03pm

I would not include Anything Goes or Kiss Me, Kate in that category.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 5:29pm

It's also sort of insulting to Italian people, claiming that A) They wouldn't notice if someone were mentally impaired and B) It's not like the women there do that much anyway, so Clara wouldn't have any responsibilities.

It wasn't that they were specifically Italian. Clearly, there was a language and cultural barrier that prevented them from picking up cues that would be more obvious to us. When I travel to Europe, I always make an ass out of myself misinterpreting looks or gestures. Hell, even if they speak English, I still forget some of the social customs.

[Antisocialite]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 5:33pm

Anything Goes and Kiss Me, Kate fall under the "weak book" category. VERY weak books.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 5:42pm

Anything Goes and Kiss Me, Kate fall under the "weak book" category. VERY weak books.

I disagree simply because if you put the shows into perspective, they were very strong books for their respective eras and hold up much better than many from the same period.

[fanadu1996]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 5:53pm

IN THE HEIGHTS, by FAR!
(and i wouldnt say the score is amazing by any means....)

[Antisocialite]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 6:06pm

Mister Matt: True. Very true. I mean, compared with certain Irving Berlin shows, they're masterpieces of plot and character development. But if these shows came out today...not so much.

[bwayboi4life42]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 6:13pm

Precisely! Although they're still better than some of the books being written today.

[cfmiller]

Posted: 6/18/08 at 6:22pm

House of Flowers
Bajour

[footlights2]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 8:42pm

Recently?

Passing Strange
In The Heights

I don’t know how In The Heights won best book over Xanadu.

[Antisocialite]

Posted: 6/19/08 at 8:51pm

^Passing Strange won best book.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 6/24/08 at 12:50pm

Bump

[TulitaPepsi]

Posted: 6/24/08 at 2:23pm

I can't believe this thead went to four pages before cfmiller's mention of HOUSE OF FLOWERS.

A classic instance of "This Original Cast album is fantastic! What a great score! How could this have bombed?!"

After seeing the Encores! production: "Now I know."

[gypsy4]

Posted: 6/24/08 at 2:33pm

The Lion King

[ben4]

Posted: 6/24/08 at 3:20pm

The problem with In the Heights is you'd have to convince me it has a good score to begin with.

I think Wicked falls into this category. The whole political allegory becomes a jumbled mess by the end of the second act, not too mention all the tongue-in-cheek references to the 1939 Wizard of Oz.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 6/24/08 at 4:17pm

Company immediately comes to mind.

It's not that the book is weak it's just that the score is so brilliant and the book is passable with a very few brilliant moments.


And WBAF, I love that moment in PIAZZA and I also have to address the fact that you think that that one scene/song caused PIAZZA to lose the Tony for Best Musical. I really find that absurd...for obvious reasons. It's a great musical but it didn't get great reviews and, to be honest, didn't have much of a shot at winning that year because of the mixed reveiws it got which weren't mixed because the critics loved the whole show but not that one scene. I don't think any one musical has ever lost the Tony because of one weak scene.

[logan0215]

Posted: 6/24/08 at 4:38pm

Agree with you on LitP but not on COMPANY.

It may not have a strong plotline, but I think that was Sondheim's intention. He was getting across the feelings of singledom to (un?)blessed marital bliss. Bobby's experiences with the varying couples are just supposed to be glimpses into their lives and his exposure to what marriage can and cannot be.

I think thats what heightens "Being Alive" as the finale so much. Its the culmination of everything both Bobby and the audience has encountered.

[SirNotAppearing]

Posted: 6/24/08 at 4:41pm

Wicked has DISGUSTING book and lyrics.