The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Tisk, tisk (sic), indeed. Apart from his weakly worded, inaccurately spelled and condescending assessment of what is clearly intended to be a simple chamber musical waxing nostalgic over lost love, the critic's comprehension of Bacharach is likewise limited, given that Bacharach's fumbled 1970s output was the donut hole in what was an otherwise stunningly successful career. There can be tremendous value in theater criticism as long as the author in question is capable of both demonstrating a reasonable breadth of genre knowledge and distinguishing the difference between work that is poorly executed and work that does not appeal to one's personal taste. I doubt that a small-time editor at San Diego's Gay and Lesbian News carries the clout to condemn a show in its infancy, but I also doubt that the creative team opened without anticipating the kinds of negative audience responses that can inspire improvements. Let's not lose faith yet.

Maybe I should be concerned, but I am not. Not very concerned , anyway. I find comfort in a few things.
The world wil see Burt grow in stature almost indefinitely through the years.
Everything will come out eventually.
I might even have children so that they can live to see this show on Broadway one day!
And I expect that the cult of perfection will be respected and his work kept as it was conceived.

But don't get me wrong. My faith in the project has not been diminished because of three contradictory reviews by writers whose track record is not in display.

As to the general theme of the musical, I believe the only people who wouldn't be interested are those who want to stay blind to the rather imperfect alternative that marriage presents to singles.

I think that many people are interested in making sure they stay away from avoidable mistakes in marriage -- and would like to watch the play next to someone whom they think should be alert to the same dangers. Others might want to find solace and closure, if not the hope that a new and different start is possible.
Still others simply couldn't care less about how their personal lives relate to anything. They look for beauty. Some find it in well-made thrillers, for Pete's sake!
I found it in that tragedy called A Star is Born. Both the 1937 version, with Janet Gaynor and Fredric March, and the Judy Garl and James Mason version, with the stunning Harold Arlen music.

So I guess I agree with scotsgreg, even if there’s too much at stake for me/us not to worry at all.

I love the 1954 movie and the album, but this manages to stand out.

Now, who would want to see a movie this sad? Even the beauty of its music hurts deeply!
I don't have the answer. But even though it is not my case, people are known to enjoy looking at car accidents and train wrecks.

Say Yesssssssssssss:

http://www.theatermania.com/san-diego/r ... 46029.html

One more song from Some Lovers,

"Every Other Hour" or as we heard before from Karima.... Come In ogni Ora



Tom

I`m sorry, but "Come In Ogni Ora" is a lazy bore, was not written for the show, and should be stricken now. It makes no more sense than the insertion of "I Say a Little Prayer" into "Promises..."
I still think Some Lovers can be a hit, `though, but only if the score album is released immediately. I`m sure it`s great and that alone will fill seats in midtown. Get it out now.
Update Sunday afternoon: I`m sorry if the above was a little strong; it was the Brooklyn Winter Ale having its say. I stand by the opinions but I`d be a little nicer today in expressing them.

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/ ... /sd83.html

I agree re sound problems.

This is another song that is featured in "Some Lovers." Although written some time before the "Some Lovers" workshop, I wonder whether or not it really was written before the "Gift of the Magi" project began germinating. Burt and Steve Sater wrote this song together; maybe it was part of the planned project from the get go? As others have noted, I don't particularly like it when songs are "stuck into" a theater score, as Blair (I think) commented of "I Say a Little Prayer" being jammed into the "Promises, Promises" revival. They can't reveal character, advance plot, or comment legitimately on the action of a scene the way true theater songs can. But maybe Burt and Steve were already doing that with this song when they wrote it? I don't know... I do like this song. Maybe it and "Every Other Hour" (aka "Come in Ogni Ora") somehow WERE part of the "Magi" piece from the start, and Burt and Steve were just "trying them out" with Karima? I hope so. I would need to see the show in order to have a meaningful opinion. But anyway, for those who never listened to it before, and who now might want to because it's in "Some Lovers," here's a terrific performance of "Just Walk Away" by Karima Ammar, a song that is sung by one of the characters in the new BB/SS show.

I`m still hoping to hear something that will blow me away like the Painted From Memory material did. So far, "Some Lovers" and "Welcome to My World" are pretty good, "This Christmas" is so-so, and "Every Other Hour" and "Just Walk Away" don`t work at all for me. Am I setting the bar too high? No, Burt did. I haven`t given up on this but the sooner the whole score is released,the better.

I like the song "Just Walk Away" after listening to it just once; however, the only way I can fully appreciate it is to imagine how Dionne could have interpreted it with the voice she possessed 30 years ago. .......... TRY IMAGINING THAT!

Ron, when I try to imagine that, I imagine how much more challenging and beautiful a song Burt would have written for her. Seldom since the catastrophe of `73 has Burt really been moved to write to his full ability. After all, who`s going to sing it? Will we ever again hear anything more stunning than "Don`t Say I Didn`t Tell You So" or "Be Aware" or...?

Voilà......from Italy!



ciao
bye
Roberto

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117946754

Musical Numbers: "Molly," "Aren't We?" "Some Lovers," "Aren't We?/Another Start," "Love Me for an Hour," "Living With a Ghost," "A Hit for You," "Window Shoppin' and Dreamin' Dreams," "The Only Music I Understand," "The Girl Who Sang My Songs," "Hold Me," "A Thousand Things That Were You," "Welcome to My World," "Ready to Be Done With You/A Thousand Things That Were You (Reprise)," "Every Other Hour," "Just Walk Away," "This Christmas," "Hush," "This Christmas" (Finale).

Okay, this doesn`t look good. The story`s a downer, the book sucks. But this is a musical, not Chekov. If the score is even 3/4 great, it will still fill seats in midtown. The trick is, as I`ve suggested before, to get the recording out now. (And Nikki Jean is currently in Japan and can`t help out here).