Customer Reviews

Edgar Allan Poe: A Musical By Eric Woolfson

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There have been a number of jukebox musical productions in recent years featuring the music of ABBA, Billy Joel, and The Beatles to name only a few. Although the familiarity of the music often makes these productions quite enjoyable, the biggest problem with these jukebox musicals is that their stories tend to be rather superficial. The book for Mama Mia, in particular, was contrived as little more than a clothesline on which to hang a number of very popular ABBA songs. Unless a musical tells a good story and tells it well, it does not move musical theater forward.

Enter Eric Woolfson's POE to centerstage with no less than the vocal virtuoso Steve Balsamo in the leading role and veteran stage actor David Burton as Poe's nemesis Rufus Griswold. Not only is the music itself exceptional but so is the story it tells of the trails and tribulations of Edgar Allan Poe thoughout his tragic life. Tracing the parallels of Poe's life with his poetry and prose, Woolfson tells a story that not only entralls but rings with truth. This live audio recording of the world premiere performance in Studio 2 of Abbey Road from November of 2003 has several songs not included on the studio release of Poe: More Tales of Mystery & Imagination. Taken together, they impart an understanding of the life of the man who inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, a plethora of French gothic and romantic writers, and, even, the very birth of modern day science fiction. If you truly love musical theater, particularly musical theater that moves the artform forward, then you need to listen to this music, watch the dvd of this performance that Woolfson is releasing in September of 2009, and share this masterpiece with anyone who loves musical theater as much as you do!

I was actually at this performance inside Studio 1 at Abbey Road in 2003. The show "ran" for 3 nights, we saw the Thursday and Saturday shows, this DVD comes from the Saturday show.

It. Was. Phenomonal.

No DVD can replace actually being there but this one gets as close as one can. The "book" on the show is tight, by far the best of Eric's musicals. That makes for an engaging story.

The production is quite understated and exceptionally well done. All the characters are dressed in black, except Poe and that motiff carries for the rest of the show. Act 1 begins with Poe trying to sell a magazine publisher on his own work. He then moves on to create grisly stories which help the magazine's sales. He's given an assignment to review a literary compilation by Rufus Griswold, gives it a scathing review and thus earns Griswold's enmity. This sets the stage for the developing artistic story between those two.

Poe's cousin (and eventual wife) Virginia is introduced. Their battles with her frail health and how he copes are amazingly choreographed in one song with some of the female cast members coming across as incarnations of his own internal demons. This results in increasing erratic behavior on his part which Griswold takes advantage of to try and destroy his reputation. He even tries to do this at a recital by giving a reading of "The Raven" and in one of the show's most powerful moments, the actor playing Griswold gives a reading of that famous poem you won't soon forget.

Virginia dies and Griswold insinuates himself into Poe's professional life getting to be his literary executer. This leads into another tour de force performance of the song "Trust Me" with Griswold telling everybody how they must protect Poe's reputation by not saying he's necrophylic, syphylitic, schyzophrenic, etc. All choreographed beautifully with the chorus sitting on chairs with their backs to the audience, then turning around gossiping about Poe, coming together as one great maligning phalanx.

Steve Balsamo's performance as Poe was simply stunning. The end song, "Immortal" was so affecting, my wife was in tears and the only time she's ever been affected by a song in the theater was during "Memories" at the end of Cats.

The supporting cast is equally great. I can't remember the actor's name that played Griswold but was the perfect contrast to Balsamo. And his assistant, the character Reynolds, reminds you of Smithers from the Simpsons.

You don't have to be a fan of musical theater to enjoy this production either. It's got it's fair share of rock theater in it to keep it edgy. And you'll be amazed at Balsamo's voice.

This full version of Poe has some extra tracks not found on the Poe: More Tales of Mystery and Imagination release.
Most of the extra tracks are just ok - but I can see why they didn't make the US release - they are less "popular" in nature - in particular the reading of Nevermore. If you're a collector you should pick up this edition instead of the American release - as you'll already have everything on the American release (in no altered form) plus the extra tracks. I was a little disappointed thinking that this imported release would feature different versions than the American but alas was the same.

Overall, a pretty sound release and defintitely one worth having!

If you think you may like this album 'cause you cannot forget 1975 "Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Edgar Allan Poe" by The Alan Parsons Project... Very sorry, but... This album is not for you.

Obviously, this is a great musical effort from the late Eric Woolfson... But, to be very honest, even though it lacks the special sound, musical construction and inspired performance EW got when joining forces with his former musical partner Alan Parsons (consider the magnificent 'FREUDIANA', for instance).

This album is quite 'dense' and in some way, a little bit boring... Juts interesting, that's it.