Sail Away

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:48pm

All this talk about Stritch made me go and listen to the OBC and OLC of the Noel Coward musical written for Stritch. I was thinking that although a revival would need work, can anyone see maybe Debra Monk playing the role at Encores or in concert. And yes, I was listening to the 1995 Company recording with Monk singing "Ladies Who Lunch" as well

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 11:34pm

I could see Donna Murphy pulling off the material convincingly. Stritch did a concert not too many years ago recreating her role. Wish I'd have seen it. Unfortunately some of the material, I'm thinking mostly of "Useful Phrases" is considered racist these days (though I'm sure Coward was just being cheeky). I'm going to go listen to both recordings now! I enjoy any musical that takes place on a boat!

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 2:16am

While on the subject would anyone care to compare and contrast the OBC vs. the London cast? I'm debating on which one to get. Is the content basically the same or does one have more content that was recorded?

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 2:55am

I prefer the Broadway recording. The London disc has an extra song and a reprise (biggest things I can think of) but I find Stritch's performance much better on the OBCR. She's too gruff on the London disc. It's not the best score, but Stritch is at her best and has the best numbers. Most of the score is cliche and forgettable really. Not even close to Coward's best. It's not really a score you need a complete note for note recording of. Go with Broadway. I think it's easier to get, too.

[alterego]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 3:05am

SAIL AWAY wasn't written for Stritch. It was originally hoped (by Coward) that Rosalind Russell would play the part. In the end she was about fourth choice. (Read the Noel Coward Diaries)
Updated On: 7/15/10 at 03:05 AM

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 3:41am

And I feel just the opposite. I think Stritch is much stronger on the London cast recording. And I think "Bronxville Darby and Joan," added for the London production, is a delightful song, while I find the "The Little Ones' ABC" (on the Broadway recording, but not on the London) very weak.

The orchestrations on the Broadway cast recording are a bit better than the London ones. (I think I read somewhere that the London producers didn't want to pay what Irwin Kostal asked for to allow his Broadway orchestrations to be reused.) Apart from that, the two recordings are pretty equal, although I think I'd gave a slight edge to David Holliday on the London cast over James Hurst on Broadway cast.

So with preferring Stritch's London performance to her Broadway one, slightly preferring Holliday to Hurst, and much preferring "Bronxville Darby and Joan" to "The Little Ones' ABC," for me it's London.

Updated On: 7/16/10 at 03:41 AM

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 8:50am

During the out-of-town tryouts, Stritch was not the leading role, but merely second banana. Jean Fenn was the romantic lead, but her role was combined with the Stritch role, and Jean Fenn never made it to Broadway.

[Daniel2]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 6:07pm

I'm afraid this show, despite having some good music, isn't very good. The book is kind of rambling and pointless. If I remember right Ethan Mordden said something to the effect that it would have been the best musical of 1927 but it was dated for the 1960s--It's REALLY dated for the current time.

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 6:14pm

Please get Debra Monk back on the Broadway!!!!!

[twinbelters]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 3:07am

Was just listening to the score and I still love it. I think it has a lot of charm and wit. Of course, Stritch is marvelous.

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 6:54am

I saw a Wednesday matinee of SAIL AWAY when there was as much noise coming from the audience as there was from the stage. At one point I turned around and said to the talkative blue haired lady, "I'm sorry but the actors are making so much noise that I can hardly hear you."

Elaine Stritch was her usual wonderful self, but the book and most of the score was second rate. I seriously doubt that a revival in any form is worth the trouble.

I would rather see a revival in some form of GOLDILOCKS, the 1958 musical starring an acerbic Elaine Stritch. Maybe Debra Monk could take that on.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 7:09am

I saw the convert version of SAIL AWAY that was done at Carnegie Hall a few years ago. I enjoyed the performance but forgot it almost as soon as the final bows were taken.

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 7:21am

I love the score. Read the book many years on the third floor of the Performing Arts library. Not the greatest, and very '30s in a '60s setting, but fun. But, yeah, can't see a major revival.

A few years ago, it was announced that Claudia Shear was working on a revised book, but nothing seems to have come of that.

I seem to think I read of a revival in England 10 or 15 years ago with Maureen Lipman but perhaps that never happened since I can't find any info online about it. I know that Maggie Fitzgibbon starred in an Australian production not too long after the original Broadway and London productions.

Debra Monk? Maybe 15 or 20 years ago, though even then I'm not sure she'd have been right for it. It's a role for a woman of 35 or 40 or someone who can play around that age. (Yes, Stritch was much older when she did it in concert, but that was a special circumstance.)

And Goldilocks is about a younger woman still. It wouldn't make any sense at all with a woman of 60. (Not that it makes all much sense under any circumstances but I don't think it was intended to make a lot of sense.)