Take Me To The World ... of Mannequins

Dear Muse,

Sondheim musicals and Rapunzel seem to go hand-in-hand in my mind lately. No sooner had I finished talking about Into the Woods' Rapunzel story than I found myself envisioning the perfect song for Rapunzel to sing to Flynn Rider when she holds him prisoner in Tangled. That song? "Take Me To the World" from Evening Primrose.

It just occurred to me that I've referenced Tangled in several of my posts. As Flynn Rider would say, "This doesn't usually happen."

Source: simplywallpaper.net via Ariel on Pinterest

For all intensive purposes, however, this post isn't going to be about Rapunzel. I just used her as an excuse to talk about Evening Primrose, one of my favorite Sondheim musicals ever.

                                                                          Source: en.wikipedia.org via Ariel on Pinterest


Evening Primrose is another show that I learned about courtesy of my friend DivaStar. As we were rambling around my neighborhood one summery evening, discussing musicals in general, her mention of Evening Primrose sparked my interest. Apparently she (or someone she knew) had studied "Take Me To The World" to perform at some voice class, but as I listened to her elaborate on the rest of the show I became increasingly enchanted by this Sondheim musical I had never heard of before.

I don't think I'm alone in my ignorance, though. In one sense, I can understand its being a lesser-known Sondheim work. Written for television, Evening Primrose aired in 1966 and has since scarcely been revived. And with only 4 songs to its credit, it can hardly be called a legitimate musical. Various artists have recorded the individual songs, of course - but given how few revivals and soundtrack recordings there have been, I have serious doubts as to whether many people today even remember the story.

But they should - it's quite weird and disturbing. After all, how many other musicals do you know of about secret societies in department stores at night where people get turned into mannequins?

Source: sites.google.com via Ariel on Pinterest

Piqued your interest? Then let's dive into the story.

Anthony Perkins as Charles; Charmian Carr as Ella.

The story begins with a poet named Charles Snell taking refuge from the world in a department store after closing hours. There, he meets a secret group that has lived in the store for years, but whose members forbid anyone to return to the outside world and risk revealing their existence. (I would love to know why - after all, it's not like they're running a drug ring or anything. They're just really controlling for some unexplained reason.) If anyone does try to leave, the "Dark Men" take them away and turn them into mannequins in the clothing department.

Mrs. Monday, the leader of the group, accepts Charles when she learns that he is a poet. While settling into the group, he meets Ella, Mrs. Monday's maid. She reveals that she has lived in the store since she was 6, and has not seen the outside world for 13 years. This brings us to the musical's most popular song, "I Remember."                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Source: en.wikipedia.org via Ariel on Pinterest

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Of all the songs, "I Remember" is the most poignant. Ella sings it to Charles as she tries to capture her fading childhood memories of the outside world, conveying both her nostalgia and longing to see the world again. If you watch the video clip below, you'll see Charmian Carr (Ella in the original 1966 production) do an absolutely wonderful job of portraying the song's emotions. While her voice isn't nearly as good as that of Theresa McCarthy (in the 2001 studio recording), the expressiveness of her voice and her face is captivating to watch, and she speaks with a childish exuberance that is simply charming.





Charles falls in love with Ella over time, realizing that he cares even more about her happiness than he does about living an isolated life and writing poetry. However, Mrs. Monday has forbidden their relationship (again, explanation?), so they take pains to try and hide their budding romance. Eventually, Charles decides to escape with Ella, but not before Mrs. Monday and the others find out and send the "Dark Men" after them. As for the ending - well, that's the disturbing part.

The way I understood the ending (from DivaStar) was that it was left purposely ambiguous, with a Twilight Zone-ish twist. When the store opens the next morning, a couple is standing on the sidewalk staring at two new mannequins in the window display. But, since the camera is aimed at the couple's back and you can't see their faces, it's left to the viewer to decide on a happy ending (Charles and Ella escaped and are the couple outside) or a tragic ending (Charles and Ella got caught and are now mannequins). Although the wikipedia article argues that it's definitely the latter ending, I'd prefer ambiguity so I can believe in the former.

Looking at Evening Primrose in light of everything Sondheim's ever done, this may be his most peculiar work. (Then again, it came out around the same time as that musical about a reincarnated plant esper with low self-esteem, so maybe I should blame the late '60s for churning out supremely bizarre shows.) But I think it's also one of his most creative. And I definitely think more people should know about it and remember it.

So, for your listening pleasure, I have included mp3 files of all 4 Evening Primrose songs below. Although I hope to find the original TV soundtrack someday, for now you'll have to content yourself with the 2001 studio recording (starring a young, not-yet-Dr.-Horrible Neil Patrick Harris as Charles).

Rapunzel and Two Witch "Mothers"

Dear Muse,

I've never been a big fan of Into the Woods. Granted, the musical has good imagery, colorful characters and a compelling plot. But, aside from "Agony" (that one good song), most of its songs have never seemed like worthwhile listening material.

However, my well-worn contempt for the musical changed somewhat after I realized that Into the Woods' song "Stay With Me" sounds almost exactly like "Mother Knows Best" from Disney's Tangled. Although Tangled featured a BIG Rapunzel story and Into the Woods featured a little Rapunzel story, I started to see many similarities between the 2010 film and the 1987 musical.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Source: play.google.com via Ariel on Pinterest

First of all, the two songs actually have a lot in common. Both "Stay With Me" and "Mother Knows Best" are about Rapunzel and her witch "mother," and both songs have similar scenarios and ideas. Come to think of it, a lot of the messages Mother Gothel delivers to Rapunzel in Tangled are practically carbon copies of those messages uttered by her Into the Woods counterpart. Is this a coincidence? Or could there really be a connection between Into the Woods and Tangled?

Source: academics.smcvt.edu via Ariel on Pinterest
Source: fanpop.com via Ariel on Pinterest


To investigate further, let's break down the similarities between Into the Woods' and Tangled's Rapunzel/Witch scenarios. What do they have in common?

• Both feature a dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship between the Witch/Mother Gothel and Rapunzel.

• Both the Witch/Mother Gothel play an emotionally abusive and manipulative "mother" (or Beloved Smother) who tries to ensure her "daughter" remains shut off from the world and within her control. 

• Both Rapunzels are anxious to expand their limited world, and are both frustrated and made miserable by their "mother's" attempts to "keep them safe." However, the two Rapunzels are just as naïve and impressionable, making it easier for their "mothers" to convince them to stay. 

• Both "mothers" do this by employing a combination of guilt-tripping and scare tactics, colorfully reinforcing just how dangerous the world is and how much damage Rapunzel would do (to herself and to her mother) if she acted on her rash impulses.   

• Most importantly: where do both the Witch/Mother Gothel show just how manipulative they are? In their respective songs, of course! Just watch the Youtube videos below and see if you can pinpoint the similarities between "Stay With Me" and "Mother Knows Best."

Uncanny, isn't it? Given how much the songs mirror each other, you'd almost think that Into the Woods directly influenced Tangled ! Still, there is a major distinction to keep in mind as well. While both "mothers" sing about very similar things, their reasons for doing so are entirely different.

Bloggers apeygirl and hellyeahtangled raise an interesting point on this subject: the key difference between Mother Gothel in Tangled and the Witch in Into the Woods is that the Witch appears to genuinely love Rapunzel. Unlike Mother Gothel, the Witch doesn't warn off Rapunzel because she sees her as a gullible ditz who can be easily cowed into submission. Instead, she expresses sincere concern for Rapunzel's wellbeing when she sings to her about the world's dangers. And unlike Mother Gothel, she seems genuinely anxious to preserve Rapunzel's childhood and protect her from the world's harshness.

To Mother Gothel, Rapunzel is nothing but a precious provider of eternal youth and beauty; a resource Gothel uses to prolong her own life. Gothel's intent to keep Rapunzel in captivity is entirely for her own self-benefit. But to the Witch, Rapunzel is like her real daughter, and she coaxes and pleads with her as if she were her real mother. Her intent is to keep her "daughter" from growing up too fast, as well as prevent any harm from befalling her. She cares about Rapunzel as a person, not as a tool. 

Yes, both Mother Gothel and the Witch are manipulative. Both are controlling. And both are fake mothers. But the true motherly love the Witch has for Rapunzel makes her the more sympathetic of the two.



Differences aside, the similarities between the two witch "mothers" certainly are intriguing. Sadly, I have yet to find concrete proof that Into the Woods inspired Tangled, or any evidence that they are in fact related. But the connection can't be pure coincidence - any more than it could be coincidence that Donna Murphy (who voiced Mother Gothel) played the Witch in the 2012 production of Into the Woods. 

Still, whether I dig up actual proof or not, Into the Woods deserves some credit. Given the in-depth analysis "Stay With Me" provoked, maybe the musical's score is a bit more worthwhile than I'd thought.

                                                                                               -Ariel

P.S. The whole Into the Woods/Tangled topic reminds me of when my friend DivaStar played Rapunzel in her high school's production of Into the Woods. She even commented on it in a letter:

Her drawing of herself as Rapunzel inspired me to draw my own picture of her. (I don't know why, but the thought of my brunette friend wearing long golden tresses strikes me as funny. Or maybe it's the thought of her singing "AAAAAAAAAAAA" for long bouts of time. Either way, the image that my mind conjures up is a silly one.)
                                                               

                                                             

Notre Dame's Rich Tapestry

Dear Muse,

About a month ago, Band3 sent me a surprising music-related e-mail. 

Granted, he's sent me music-related e-mails before, so that part wasn't surprising. The part that was surprising was that instead of pop music, Band3 was recommending a stage musical. Normally, Band3 tells me that he's not a big fan of musicals. But what else can you call Notre Dame de Paris?

Source: last.fm via Ariel on Pinterest

A bit of background: Notre Dame de Paris is a sung-through French/French-Canadian musical that debuted in 1998 in Paris. Based on the novel by Victor Hugo, the musical was incredibly successful when it came out, and has since been performed in various countries around the world. And yet, I had never even heard of the show before Band3 sent me that e-mail. 

(By the way, the reason I didn't tell you about this musical before now is that I didn't actually listen to it until a week ago. I could say it's because I wasn't eager to sit through the 2-hour-long video recording Band3 included, but that would just be an excuse for blatant procrastination. And seeing as it was much better than I expected, I really don't have a good excuse at all. No offense, Band3 - sometimes I'm just lazy.)

Anyway, when I finally did watch Notre Dame de Paris.... IT. WAS. SENSATIONAL. The best way to describe it is that it's like a mix of Cirque du Soleil and Les Misérables. The dancers are phenomenal, the staging is breathtaking and grandiose, and the scope is just... huge. I was particularly impressed with how the songs made the story more engrossing, considering that the musical follows the depressing plot of Victor Hugo's novel more closely than that of the happier Disney movie. 

Most of all, I loved the performers. Lesser known characters like the poet Gringoire, Clopin, and Fleur-de-Lys stand out just as much with their songs as Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Phoebus and Frollo do. Every character has a great solo to sing, and some (like Esmeralda) have more than one. Every singer's voice is powerful, and every person adds a different color to the rich tapestry of Notre Dame. 

Major characters clockwise from top left: Esmeralda; Quasimodo; Phoebus; the poet/narrator Gringoire (center); Fleur-de-Lys; Clopin; Frollo. 

While Band3 and I agree on the vibrancy of the performers' voices, our personal song preferences slightly differ. He appears to prefer more ostentatious show-stoppers like Gringoire's "Le Temps des Cathédrales." Although I concur that anything with Bruno Pelletier (Gringoire) in it is awesome, I prefer Esmeralda's "Bohémienne" and "Vivre" and Phoebus' "Déchiré." In particular, I love large-scale songs with lots of Cirque du Soleil-esque choreography, such as "La Fete des Fous" and "La Cour des Miracles." Not to mention that Luck Mervil (Clopin) makes any big number he's in a joy to watch. 

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With so many good qualities to think about, I suppose the only nitpicks I have to make about Notre Dame involve its second act and the characters of Phoebus and Fleur-de-Lys. 

Unfortunately, Notre Dame falls into the category of "shows where all the major sing-along numbers are in Act I." You know how in certain shows Act I has all the big musical numbers, whereas Act II has maybe one or two good numbers but mostly reprises the songs you heard in Act I? Notre Dame doesn't exactly reprise songs in its second act, but it is similar to the aforementioned types of shows because the songs in Act II aren't as memorable or as catchy as those in Act I. I can think of only one I actually liked from Act II, and that's Esmeralda's "Vivre." The rest were kind of forgettable.

My second nitpick involves Phoebus and Fleur-de-Lys being thoroughly unlikeable characters. OK, they had a pretty duet in "Ces Diamants-La", but other than that they are two of the biggest jerks in the show. I guess I get angrier at them than I do at Frollo because I expected Frollo to be the bad guy from the beginning. However, I didn't expect for Phoebus to be so backstabbing as to sentence Esmeralda to death after he has an affair with her, or Fleur-de-Lys to be so petty and hateful that she wants Esmeralda dead so she can have Phoebus all to herself. In fact, when they walked offstage hand-in-hand at the end, all I could think was, "Good. You two deserve each other, because you're both horrible people." 

All things considered, if you want to form your own opinion of Notre Dame de Paris, watch the Youtube video of the complete musical below. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised, or enhance your French comprehension. Or both. Either way, I hope you like the show as much as I now do.

                                                                                          'Till next time,

                                                                                                     Ariel 

The Best Kind of Song

Dear Muse,

Do you know what the best kind of song is? I'll tell you: the BEST kind of song is a song with an ABA pattern that echoes another song in its B section. This type of song is typically found near the end of a musical. (I know, go figure. But I'm on a roll with showtunes stuff for the moment, so I might as well keep it rolling.)

The reason I like this type of song is because it's like a bonus deal: you get two songs for the price of one. Often the tune that's echoed in the B section of the best kind of song is (on its own) too monotonous, too brassy or too-something for you to want to listen to the whole thing. But when it's a snippet inside another song, the too-something song comes across as a refresher rather than a headache. The snippet-song is brief enough to enjoy, but not so long as to distract you from the song that encompasses it.

The best kind of song can represent many things, depending on what its B section echoes and what role it plays in the musical's plot. It can be an angry, bitter mockery of a character's earlier, more optimistic song (as in "See What It Gets You" from Anyone Can Whistle).

It can be an extra note of hope, reminding the audience of the characters' promising future and rounding out a blossomy love song (as in "Yesterday I Loved You" from Once Upon a Mattress).

 It can be an ironic indication of waning romance as a character moves beyond their relationship (as in "An Orthodox Fool" from No Strings).

Or it can be a recollection of an antagonized character's battle cry, reminding them why they fight against injustice and hardening their resolve (as in "When I Grow Up" from Matilda). Whatever the case may be, the B section of the best kind of song makes the entire thing more profound, more mellifluous, and more captivating.

To get a better idea of what I mean, listen to some of the songs I mentioned (attachments below). Then see if you can guess the name of the tune echoed in each B section!

                                                                                   'Till next time,
                                                                                                 Ariel

The Interracial Romance We Forgot

Dear Muse,

From childhood on, we've been exposed to some pretty big musical duos: Gilbert & Sullivan, Simon & Garfunkel, Lennon & McCartney... and of course, Rodgers & Hart / Rodgers & Hammerstein. Anyone who knows "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" or "The Lady is a Tramp" knows Rodgers & Hart. And due to our culture's influx of songs from The Sound of Music, Oklahoma! and The King and I, even more people have had Rodgers & Hammerstein ingrained into their subconscious.

But what do we know of Richard Rodgers alone? Not much, that's for sure. Most of what we know about him involves his collaboration with either Lorenz Hart or Oscar Hammerstein II. Still, Rodgers did create a musical - his only solo project after Hammerstein's death in 1960 - with no collaborators whatsoever. That musical? No Strings. 

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No Strings is a 1962 musical about fashion model Barbara Woodruff and expatriate novelist David Jordan who have a love affair in Paris. Woodruff and Jordan were played by Diahann Carroll (of Julia and Dynasty fame) and Richard Kiley (the original Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha), respectively.

Source: tcf.ua.edu via Ariel on Pinterest

The plot plays into the double meaning of the show's title, which  is called "No Strings" because:

1. the couple parts ways at the end with "no strings attached," and
2. the orchestration is done completely without stringed instruments.

Nowhere does this double meaning shine out more than in the opening (and closing) song, "The Sweetest Sounds." Here's how the No Strings blurb from Broadway: The American Musical describes it:

In this haunting opening number, Rodgers had the couple sitting on opposite sides of the stage, and the song appeared to conjure up a love affair between two lonely people (and, in a neat irony, its reprise at the final curtain suggested the whole story was simply a wistful daydream). (25)

Whenever I hear "The Sweetest Sounds," I imagine the opening scene roughly like this:

I'll admit that my picture doesn't do justice to this beautiful song. But I totally agree with whoever wrote that blurb - "The Sweetest Sounds" is haunting.

Although the irony of the story/ orchestration is all well and good, the interracial romance especially intrigues me. You don't see many musicals nowadays focused on interracial romances. (Except for West Side Story, Once On This Island, and Memphis... but that's still not a lot.)

It's interesting to note that neither Samuel A. Taylor's book nor Rodgers' score specifically mentioned race, and the only indication Woodruff provides of being African-American is her reference to growing up around Harlem (see Background in No Strings wikipedia article). The two leads could have been cast with same-race actors and it wouldn't affect the story at all. Nevertheless, Carroll's casting and the characters' reluctance to discuss race made the show "socially progressive" and pretty controversial. (That, and it took place around the start of the Civil Rights movement.)

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But with all this in mind, all I can think is, "why wasn't there a revival of this show?" It has good songs. It has an excellent cast. It has some really amusing social commentary. It has music by Richard Rodgers, for crying out loud!! Plus, it's different from most romantic musicals, because the two lovers don't end up together and live happily ever after. Wouldn't that make it unique enough to justify revival? WHY would it just run for over a year, and then sputter out of public consciousness? WHY haven't theater companies made an effort to bring it back?!? It wouldn't be that controversial by today's standards, so I think theater-goers could enjoy it.

In fact, reviving No Strings would be worthwhile just to see how differently people today would react to the interracial stuff, compared with audiences in 1962. Given how much progress we've made in the spheres of race, women's rights and LGBTQ rights, I think today's somewhat-more-tolerant American public would appreciate No Strings a lot more.

Until a No Strings revival graces the stage again, however, here are several songs you can enjoy. Some are beautiful, some are funny, some are wistful, and all are moving. Have a listen - you won't regret it.

                                                                        'Till next time,
                                                                                 Ariel

Promises, Promises: Take Two

Dear Muse,

Maybe I was too hasty when I said that Promises, Promises didn't give me much to write about. Due to a recent re-listening which opened my eyes (and ears) to some dazzling songs, I have had a change of heart. So, without further ado, here's "Promises, Promises: Take Two."

Source: google.com via Ariel on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Ariel on Pinterest

To be honest, I make a lot of hasty judgments when I listen to music for the first time. If it doesn't immediately wow me, I decide there's not much to it and dismiss it from my mind. Sometimes, though, I wait a while and then give it a second chance to see if I missed something. In Promises, Promises' case, giving it a second chance proved that I had missed a LOT. About a third of the songs were real zingers. As to why, well... I'll get to that later.

Before we talk about Promises, Promises, however, we'll need to talk about what it's adapted from. Like Applause (see March posts), this show is a musical retelling of a classic film noir: Billy Wilder's The Apartment (1960). 

Source: mrqe.com via Ariel on Pinterest

The Apartment is a complicated sort of How to Succeed in Business-tale, albeit sweeter, warmer, and funnier. A lonely office drudge named C.C. Baxter ("Chuck"in the musical) works at a national insurance corporation and lives in an apartment. In exchange for letting his managers borrow his apartment for their extramarital affairs, Baxter receives glowing recommendations from them, allowing him to climb the corporate ladder. Eventually, the director (Sheldrake) hears about it and convinces Baxter to let him use the apartment for himself so that he can continue an extramarital affair with an old fling, Fran Kubelik - who also happens to be Baxter's crush. (In the movie, she's an elevator operator; in the musical, she's a waitress at the company cafeteria.)

Source: tvtropes.org via Ariel on Pinterest

Upon learning that Sheldrake has been lying to her, Ms. Kubelik attempts suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills at Baxter's apartment. Baxter rescues her from death and, while he nurses her back to health, the two fall in love. Eventually, his love for Ms. Kubelik enables him to grow a backbone and walk out on his corrupt supervisors once and for all.

Source: blu-ray.com via Ariel on Pinterest

Now for a few words on the adaptation, Promises, Promises. My liking for the musical is kind of weird, because it's divided between the original 1968 version (starring Jerry Orbach and Jill O'Hara) and the 2010-11 revival (starring Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth). While I vastly prefer Orbach as Chuck Baxter, I prefer Kristin Chenoweth as Fran. (Come on, it's Galinda from Wicked!! Who wouldn't love her as Fran?!?) Hayes can't hold a candle to Orbach's performance. As for O'Hara, she sounds like she's singing through laryngitis compared to Chenoweth. The reason I love songs like "Half as Big as Life" and "Knowing When to Leave" is because Orbach and Chenoweth (respectively) make those songs.

Fortunately, no one better understands my obsession with this sort of thing than my friend DivaStar. A fellow choir member and showtunes nerd, she's one of the only people I know with whom I can have meaningful discussions about various musicals in which neither person gets bored. (It probably helps that she's acted in several musicals herself.)

Also, since DivaStar likes a lot of "brightly-colored" musicals (e.g., musicals that are loud and showy, like How to Succeed in Business, Newsies, Phantom of the Opera, etc.), discussing the bombastic Promises, Promises with her was a lot of fun. Especially the parts we agreed on. For example, I introduced this idea to her the other day:

Source: findagrave.com via Ariel on Pinterest

Source: broadway.com via Ariel on Pinterest


Although she isn't as familiar with Promises, Promises as I am, we both agreed that Orbach + Chenoweth would make for a MUCH improved show overall.

But perhaps YOU should decide about Promises, Promises for yourself. Check out some of the songs I've attached in music players below, and see what you think. ("I'll Never Fall in Love Again" does involve Jill O'Hara from the original cast, but since it's the only song I think she sounds decent in, I've included it here.)

                                                                             'Till next time,
                                                                                           Ariel


P.S. Also, I was a bit hasty in judging Jerry Orbach before I heard this musical. I'll admit, I didn't like him in The Fantasticks. But now that I've experienced Promises, Promises, I think he's thrilling.

Barbra Streisand as an ESPer = Good Musical?

Dear Muse,

It's finally May, and everything is bursting into bloom. What makes it ironic is that yesterday I checked out a musical about things bursting into bloom (in more ways than one). For the past few weeks, I've been delving into a lot of 1960s musicals (a.k.a Promises, Promises and The Apple Tree), but none have given me much material to write about. That is, until yesterday's discovery of 1965's On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.

Source: en.wikipedia.org via Ariel on Pinterest

Source: moviegoods.com via Ariel on Pinterest

On a Clear Day is a rather obscure musical about an unusual heroine - that is, a reincarnated ESPer/clairvoyant with low self-esteem who uses her psychic powers to help plants grow. (Good luck finding other musicals with this premise.) The ESPer (Daisy Gamble) goes to a psychiatrist (Mark) who places her under hypnosis, learning that she's the reincarnation of a seductive minx named "Melinda Wells" who died on a shipwreck in the 18th century. He becomes infatuated with Melinda, while Daisy (misreading his behavior towards her) starts falling for him. And when she discovers the truth...well, how would you like it if you found out that your crush was in love with the person you "used to be"?

Despite how convoluted the story is, Daisy's musical numbers are stunners. Especially "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here," which revolves entirely around Daisy encouraging flowers to bloom through the power of SONG. Both Barbara Harris (original cast) and Barbra Streisand (1970 movie adaptation) do an excellent job of it. Skeptical? Just watch this clip of Streisand performing the song.




Of course, since you don't actually see her making plants grow, you might deduce that it's just Streisand singing in a flower garden. Either way, I love it.

Also, after watching this, I couldn't help but think the following:

"If you combined Layla from Sky High and Giselle from Enchanted, it's only logical that Daisy Gamble would come out of it."

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Source: plan-a-magical-vacation.com via Ariel on Pinterest

Source: lecinemadreams.blogspot.com via Ariel on Pinterest

Come on, it totally makes sense.


The most that I can say about On a Clear Day so far is that it's OK - that is, I like about 3 or 4 songs from it. Fellow blogger Ken Anderson gives a more in-depth review of the film adaptation, so I'd recommend checking out his take on it. I've also included music players of Barbara Harris' version of "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here," as well as the title song (sung by the psychiatrist) below. Listen to these, and then decide which Barbara is the better Daisy.


                                                                   'Till next time,
                                                                              Ariel

Applause: The Bitch Review

Dear Muse,

I never thought I would loathe another character as much as I loathe Carrie Meeber (see Thoroughly Modern Millie rant). That is, until I saw All About Eve. Thank you, Eve Harrington, for proving me wrong. You are a total bitch.

Source: kestrelsnest.net via Ariel on Pinterest

By now, you've probably read my Applause star review, and thus know the plot of All About Eve. What I didn't elaborate on in my last post was the horrible things Eve does to betray Margo. First, she makes herself an assistant to Margo so that she can study her behaviorisms and acting, and replace her as a younger, more beautiful understudy in her shows. After upstaging (no pun intended) her mentor, she slanders her in every newspaper. Then she tries to steal Margo's lover and blackmail her friends. And even that's not as bad as she gets. Did I mention the parts involving family abandonment, seduction and adultery? No? Watch the movie to find out more about those. She's as evil and unrepentant as they come.

Needless to say, I have anger issues with Miss Eve Harrington.

Source: en.wikipedia.org via Ariel on Pinterest

Eve's bitchiness doesn't change that much when adapted for the musical Applause. Does this mean I hate the movie and musical versions of Eve equally? Welllll.... there actually seems less to hate about Applause's Eve. Why is that?

For one thing, I'm a sucker for anyone who sings well. Unfortunately, Eve has one really nice solo ("The Best Night of My Life"). Yes, I know that what she's saying is done to kiss up to Margo. Yes, I know that none of it's sincere. But she's got such a good voice, dammit. Point goes to her musical seduction.

Another thing that makes Applause's Eve more sympathetic is the tiny backstory she presents in "One Hallowe'en." In All About Eve, I never really understood why Eve did such rotten things. She had no sad history; the only cause for her evil behavior seemed to be her ambition. That's not good enough to make me feel sorry for her. (I only felt sorry for her at the end of the film, after Addison gave her a Breaking Lecture. After, mind you, not during - watching him break her down was immensely satisfying.)

Source: javabeanrush.blogspot.com via Ariel on Pinterest

In "One Hallowe'en," however, Applause's Eve suggests that her father's scathing criticism of her 9-year-old self on Halloween turned her into a rebel. She became highly ambitious because she wanted to defy her father; to prove to him that dressing up and acting can make you successful. Sadly, her drive to succeed pushed her way beyond moral limits. So, in Applause, Eve wasn't an all-natural bitch: she was the warped result of a troubled childhood.

There's just one problem with the song. It's a big problem, because without this one aspect the song might have encouraged me to forgive Applause's Eve of her sins. That problem is the song's context.

See, Eve sings "One Hallowe'en" right when she's at the peak of success: she's become an overnight star, has fame and fortune, and has snared one of Margo's friends to help her in her rising career. And, just as she did when she studied Margo before, Eve imitates Margo in the second half of her song. While the first half of "One Hallowe'en" slowly describes a bitter childhood memory, the second half bursts into a rapid, gloating echo of Margo's earlier "But Alive" (see previous post). Unlike Margo's lyrics, which were about breaking loose and enjoying a night on the town, the lyrics here are distorted into a queen bee's victory crow:

Well damn you daddy
Look at your little girl now!
She feels twitchy and bitchy and manic
Calm and collected, no sign of panic
She's alive, she's alive, she's alive
So alive
[...]
Everybody loves a winner but nobody loves a flop
No one worries how you got there once you're standing on the top
So I feel up and together and steady
Eager, excited, so come on I'm ready
Ready for the climb
Baby it's my time
You believe it! I'm alive
Alive!      

                                                                              Source: thekingsoftheblog.com via Ariel on Pinterest

(Full lyrics transcribed here.)

Eve's reference to Margo in the line, "Everybody loves a winner but nobody loves a flop," after everything Margo has done for her, is like a backhanded slap in the face to her mentor. How dare she steal Margo's song and twist it with her nasty words!! The whole second half of "One Hallowe'en" is downright insulting. If I felt sorry for Eve in the earlier part of this song, I hate her again after hearing this part. It reeks of all the unbridled ambition her corrupted film self exposed in All About Eve.

Ultimately, I can feel a little sorrier for the Eve in Applause than the one in All About Eve - but not too much sorrier. Not even Penny Fuller's pretty voice can excuse the musical's character. At least I can agree with Eve on one point - when she talks about being "twitchy and bitchy and manic," she couldn't be more right.

Source: en.wikipedia.org via Ariel on Pinterest

                                                     

                                                                                       Until next time's non-showtunes discussion,
                                                                                                     Ariel

P.S. Bit of random trivia: Anne Baxter, who played Eve in All About Eve, later replaced Lauren Bacall as Margo in the 1971 run of Applause. Isn't that ironic? The actress who originally played a girl who replaces an aging actress, actually replaced an aging actress to become the star of the show. Kind of like Eve's rising-star story was finally realized in Baxter's becoming Margo... except not really... but don't think about it too hard, or you'll get dizzy.