Customer Reviews

The Goodbye Girl (1993 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

THE GOODBYE GIRL is a satisfying musical version of the Neil Simon romantic comedy, with a score by David Zippel and Marvin Hamlisch which is as sassy and accomplished as anything else written by the duo. Bernadette Peters (in a Tony-nominated performance) plays the unlucky-in-love dancer Paula, with Martin Short as Elliott, the equally unlucky-in-love actor.

The score gets off to a cracking start with Paula's anthemic "No More"; also charming is Paula's plee to her daughter Lucy (Tammy Minoff) to "Don't Follow in My Footsteps". Elliott's "I Think I Can Play This Part" and "Good News, Bad News" are likewise great character numbers. Paula's 11 o'clock number "What a Guy" is a real showstopper.

THE GOODBYE GIRL received mixed reviews when it opened in 1993, buoyed by the star-power of Peters and Short. Producers wisely closed the show when Peters and Short had completed their contracts. The cast also includes Scott Wise, Carol Woods, Cynthia Onrubia, Susann Fletcher and Linda Talcott.

Though the show only lated 188 performances in the springa nd summer of 1993, this original cast albums preserves two top star performances and great score that does just what a great Broadway score should do: It tells the story and establishes the characters.

Columbia's recording is laid out so that the home listener can easily follow the story. The booklet includes a detailed synopsis and all the lyrics. The recording omits the brief opening song "This is as good as it gets" because the number was just a lead-in to the first scene. Otherwise the full score is here and it's joy from start to finish. Ok, the second act song "Too Good to Be Bad" is unnecessarily shoe-horned in as a showpiece for Carol woods (who makes the most of it) but the rest is pure gold.

Okay, The Goodbye Girl was not the best Bernadette Peters vehicle ever, but it is still pretty darn wonderful, and the CD does not disappoint at all. As a matter of fact, the CD is some improvement over the live performance which tended to drag. Bernadette is Bernadette and Martin Short was a fabulous surprise on Broadway and singing here. The songs are grand fun and lift the heart. You won't be sorry you added this to your collection of Original Cast albums.

The previous review should be ignored. All the songs are great Marvin Hamlisch numbers, especially the instrumental "Jump For Joy". It's a complete thrill!

If you are a fan of Bernadette Peters or Martin Short you should definetly get this CD. It is one of my overall favorites. The music in wonderfull. All of the songs are worth listining to.

I saw "The Goodbye Girl" twice while the show was in previews in Chicago, the second time just before it was headed for New York. Despite all of the talent involved, it was not a great show, and closed once Ms. Peters' and Mr. Short's contracts expired.

I am not necessarily a fan of Martin Short, but he was terrific in the show, and the recording reflects it. "The Goodbye Girl" was an attempt to make Ms. Peters' image a more contemporary one. Some of her songs have very awkward lyrics which unfortunately were not worked out by the time the recording was made. She had been, and would be, in much better shows before and after "The Goodbye Girl."

"The Goodbye Girl" is probably a better candidate for a smaller theatre group or high school or college musical groups than as a Broadway show. I suspect it will be periodically used for just that purpose, and if so, the recording will assist future singers and actors.

In contrast to many other reviewers, I love Marvin Hamlisch's music, the orchestration and especially Bernadette Peters's Million Dollar Voice. Too bad I didn't get to see the original show on Broadway in 1993 (today's re-runs are usually shortened and edited).

Bernadette Peters could read (or sing) the phone book and be amazing (to borrow an old cliche). She shines here, Martin Short on the other hand, comes across as though each song were a SNL sketch, just as he would do a few years later in Little Me. The difference between Short and other character actors, is that they create characters, while Short remains Short with annoying voices. And annoy here he does...
The score is pleasant, with a couple great songs for Peters.

"she was so good it should have been called the Goodbye Girl's Landlady".If only they'd cut some of Bernadette's numbers and added a few for Ms Woods , the show might still be running.Check out her Too Good To Be Bad to hear why. Martin Short's singing voice was a wonderful suprise , especially on I Think I Can Play This Part.

And just plain annoying for the most part. The lyrics sound as if they handed Bernadette Peters one of those "men are beasts" self-help books and told her to sing it to the audience. Also, you know the score is skimpy when they have to repeat the same melody three times before the end of the overture.

There are a few bright spots--like the charming mother/daughter duet "Don't Follow in My Footsteps" and the junk food anthem "2 Good 2 Be Bad"--but I don't think they're worth the cost of the whole album. Maybe go to Rhapsody or Itunes so you can download just those songs.