Customer Reviews

GUYS ON ICE Original Cast Recording

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

 

 

An ice fishing musical? A show about two guys in a hut on the ice? The best Wisconsin musical ever? Surprise, both the show and songs are pretty good.

Sure it's a little cornball with terse men (in the Lake Wobegon tradition) and lots of ice fishing jokes, but it's also clever, fresh, with fun, listenable songs, many of which have a depth and sweetness as unexpected parallels are drawn between ice fishing and life. The CD is not just the songs, it's (most of) the show. It was recorded during a performance so you hear the audience laughing at the jokes making it more fun. Recommended.

Minor quibble -- the CD description and liner notes claim it is the whole show, but I recently saw the show at a local theater in its New England premier and the beginning of the second act (circa 2007) is missing from the CD.

I saw the original live show about the time this CD was recorded and loved the live show and am getting the CD. I would probably agree with the reviewer though who said you appreciate it much more if you're from the midwest. It's more about the jokes than the music.

I guess anyone can write a musical about anything: Hats, golf, boobs, menopause, ice fishing. But do they really need to be recorded and released? I can't think of a purpose on earth why one should buy this. It's cute, quaint, corny, etc....it is also so insider jokey, filled with bad lyrics (read Sondheim's "Finishing the Hat" for more on lyrics), and has incredibly banal music. There is no reason that the average American south of Minnesota/Wisconisin/Michigan (even if he/she is a music theater buff) would be amused or scream for the rights to perform any part of this. However, I liked the cover....