- ELEANOR (ValKill VK2001)
-
- - a genuinely appealing American musical that deals
tastefully with a fragment of political history
-
- Book by Jonathan Bolt. Lyrics by John Forster. Music by Thomas
Tierney
Original American cast: Anne Kanengeiser, Anthony Cummings, Rita
Gardner, Steve Routman, Gary Marachek, David Eye, Emily Leonard,
Tamra Hayden, Osborn Focht, Christine Hewitt, Andre Montgomery,
Andrew MacPhail
-
- Songs: How The Other Half Lives; The Assembly Ball; Our Beautiful
Daughters; The New Century Walk; Give; United; Running Before
the Wind; First You Serve Your Husband; Practical Politics; Foggy
Bottom; The Life of the Party; Dancing On and On; Doing; If We
Go On; He Touches Me; Nothing in Particular; Fun!
-
 Eleanor
has one of the most well-proportioned scores to come out of America
for several years. Spurning a sung-through approach, this chamber-piece
knows exactly what it wants to do. It also, unlike so many recent
musicals, knows how to control its emotions.
-
- From its opening bars, there is a confidence about Eleanor
that makes you sit up and take notice - there is the promise
of a really satisfying experience. And the promise is delivered.
The writers manage to achieve a nice period feel with strong
lyrics and melodies that are well worth listening to. It is all
warm-hearted without being over sentimental. And it's intelligent.
-
- To date, Eleanor, the story of the emergence of Eleanor Roosevelt
in to a mature woman, has not been seen on Broadway, but has
had to make do with several provincial productions in America.
This recording is of the production mounted in Washington in
March 1999, an event that must have warmed the cockles of that
city's heart. The producer insisted that he should hire Anne
Kanengeiser as Eleanor, and Anthony Cummings as Franklin, and
- from the evidence of these committed performances - he was
absolutely right. It's one of those occasions when everyone sounds
exactly right.
-
- The theatrical dimensions are beautifully caught in the sound,
with the small orchestra delivering the delicate arrangements
of David Siegel in a perspective that works perfectly. From the
first clarion call of the opening music, we are comfortable with
this material, and John Forster's first-class lyrics take us
straight to the heart of the young, insecure Eleanor, worried
about 'How the Other Half Lives'. Kanengeiser gets to the heart
of her character with her first lines, and goes on to give a
lovely account, frequently understated. Listen to her account
of why she loves Franklin, 'He Touches Me', and you will be fixed.
She gives Eleanor its essential centre, and I can only say that
I shall watch out for anything else Miss Kanengeiser does. Cummings
keeps our sympathy as Franklin, even after he has had an affair
that threatens to wreck his marriage. That dilemma is dealt with
skilfully in 'If We Go On', a typically intelligent, emotionally
controlled number with all the characters remaining cool under
the discipline of the writers. The rest of the cast shine in
everything they do in a lovely sound perspective.
-
- Thomas Tierney and John Forster's score is full of richness,
inventive and tuneful. Some might call it old-fashioned, but
if it is (and I'm not sure that it is) Eleanor never seems less
than fresh. My own favourites include the natty 'New Century
Walk'; Kanengeiser's insistence on how important it is to 'Give',
and a splendid duet for Eleanor and Franklin, 'Running Before
the Wind'. There is an entrancing finale to the first act, beautifully
judged. We can only hope that Tierney and Forster will be encouraged
to write many more scores. Meanwhile, we have this delightful,
and often very moving, show to be going on with. When, in the
final moments, Eleanor finally blossoms in to a complete woman,
you will want to stand up and cheer. Like so much else here,
this is a work done by writers and actors who know how to get
what they need out of theatre. And the sense of theatre - so
essential in a show recording - has been caught; you can practically
hear the curtain come down at the end, and you will need some
Kleenex ready. Very highly recommended.
RETURN TO CD REVIEWS
|
