Stephen Schwartz (composer of
Wicked, Godspell,
Pippin and other shows referred to it as "the most offensive and morally unredeemable musical I've ever heard. I'll do everything in my power to make sure this is never produced." I know nothing of Schwartz's politics, but this is the guy who put together the show
Working with noted lefty Studs Terkel, of all people, so I'd never expect him to be a raging freeper... but who knows? My impression of it is that the music is brilliant and intricate, but I'd prefer not to have the vocal line(s) doubled in the orchestra -- it's grating. And while the lyrics are very funny most of the time, sometimes the jokes are heavy-handed and the writer veers off from witty into bitchy a bit too often, and there are several instances of imperfect rhyming -- "Virgins/persons?" "Can/Islam"? "Term/return"? "Unity/Jewry"? I admire craft, and imperfect rhymes are just sloppy. Besides, WS Gilbert, whom the lyricist was trying to emulate, would never use imperfect rhymes.
That said, when someone of Schwartz's stature refers to a show as "the most offensive and morally unredeemable musical I've ever heard", I'm almost required to give it a go. Here's the link to a review in
The Huffington Post.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-simmons/the-most-offensive-mora_b_30950.htmlAnd here's a link to the musical's website.
http://www.thebeastlybombing.comJust click on "Music" and then the individual songs in order to hear them (Quicktime). There are nine. Enjoy.
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