Customer Reviews

Very Good Eddie: A Musical Comedy (1975 Broadway Revival Cast)

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

 

 

My fellow reviewer from Monterey Mass. hit the nail on the head. Though not as good as some of the "Princess Theater" shows to come ("Oh, Boy," "Oh, Lady, Lady," and the rest--this musical is quite an improvement on the bubbleheaded competition it had not only in its own time but long after it. It is also a relief from the "musical play" that replaced the musical comedy. Not a single hit song and not a single poor one in the whole show that was a pioneer of the great "integrated" shows to come, not the least of which would be Kern's own "Show Boat." This is a must for every serious collection of Broadway shows.

This is a 1915 show but it has more snap and charm than the current long melodramas that masquerade as entertainment

I agree with Mr. Behrens that this recording is a "must" for anyone serious about the American musical theatre, but I found the whole thing a trifle boring. (I would have given it 3 stars, but I was worried about turning people off.) The performances are splendid, and the original orchestrations for 10 pieces are a delight to hear. Upon hearing the overture, you might think you're listening to a superb digital restoration of an early 1900's recording. It's a gas.

Mr. Behrens states that the score contains neither a hit nor a miss and is an "improvement on the bubbleheaded competition," but the operettas of Sigmund Romberg, Rudolph Friml, Victor Herbert, et.al, were overflowing with far better songs than Jerome Kern would write for this or any other Princess Theatre Show. Many of the lyrics for "Eddie" are pretty inane, typical for the time, however. Kern wrote a much better score two years later for "Leave It to Jane" (1917), lyrics provided by long time collaborator P.G. Wodehouse. (A wonderful recording of the 1958 revival of "Jane" is available on AEI Records.) With Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, II, Jerome Kern wrote "Show Boat" in 1927, giving us the first truly great American musical. He also contributed some of Hollywood's most memorable songs, including "A Fine Romance," "The Way You Look Tonight," and "The Last Time I Saw Paris."

(...)

If you like those old musicals direct heirs of the austrian operettas, you'll love this. Obviously enough, it will sound old-fashioned to many modern ears, but we have to put this in a historical context. These tunes are the ones which gave birth to many others that came thereafter. It's a naive, candid kind of music, but rich in tuneful melodies and charming lyrics. In two simple words: LOVELY & NOSTALGIC.