[NEohioPAL] Sondheim disses South Pacific

[Christopher Fortunato]

Really?  I felt both were to polemic.  Not like Brooks Atkinson.> Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:53:00 -0500> From: TBROWN at plaind.com> To: neohiopal at listserve.com; learnedhand at live.com> Subject: Re: [NEohioPAL] Sondheim disses South Pacific> > the tenure of frank rich as chief drama critic for the new york times> (1980-93) is probably the greatest by any critic at any newspaper> anywhere.> > since then, his columns on politics and culture have become some of the> most lucid and convincing available.> > t.> > > > >>> Christopher Fortunato <learnedhand at live.com> 1/20/2009 2:49 PM >>>> > Interesting he would diss his benefactor Oscar Hammerstein who taught> him everything about writing lyrics.> The occasion seemed weird and self-congratulatory what with horrible> critic Frank Rich leading the conversation.> > Sondheim Calls Critics *Ignoramuses,* Disses *South Pacific* > > Email | Print | A A A > By Philip Boroff> Jan. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Since Rodgers and Hammerstein*s *South> Pacific* opened at New York*s Lincoln Center Theater in April,> it*s been a favorite of critics and audiences and has won seven> Tony Awards, the most of any Broadway musical revival. > On Sunday, Stephen Sondheim tore it apart. > Interviewed at Avery Fisher Hall by New York Times columnist Frank> Rich, the 78-year-old composer-lyricist explained why he*s no fan of> the 1949 classic. > *I think it*s personal taste,* he said. *I find it, um,> obvious.* > *South Pacific* was adapted from the James Michener book *Tales> of the South Pacific.* It*s set on two islands during World War II> and tells intertwining stories of two romances obstructed by prejudice> and a secret mission to gain intelligence about Japanese troop> movements. > Oscar Hammerstein II, who wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book, was> weak with contemporary language, Sondheim said. And his characters are> unrealistic, particularly a cheery battalion of U.S. Navy Seabees who> build aviation bases. > *I don*t believe for two seconds that those are Seabees,*> Sondheim said. *It*s the happiest war I*ve ever seen.* > Rare Dig > Seldom does Sondheim, the most revered living composer- lyricist in> musical theater, publicly criticize a contemporary. But he*s free with> opinions when the artist is dead, even when it*s Hammerstein, a mentor> and father figure. > (The musical was key in Sondheim*s life: At the opening, on April 7,> 1949, 19-year-old Sondheim was introduced to 20-year-old Hal Prince, who> would go on to produce and direct on Broadway. The two would collaborate> on some of Sondheim*s biggest successes, including *Company,*> *Sweeney Todd,* and *A Little Night Music.*) > On Sunday, Sondheim singled out the last line of *There is Nothing> Like a Dame* from *South Pacific* for ridicule: *There ain*t a> thing that*s wrong with any man here/That can*t be cured by> puttin* him near/A girly, womanly, female feminine dame.* > *The whole lyric of *There*s Nothing Like a Dame* drives me> crazy,* he said. *It doesn*t sound to me like what the character> is trying to convey. Where he (Hammerstein) is at his best is in the> romantic stuff.* > Sondheim rarely gives extended interviews and Avery Fisher Hall, with> some 2,700 seats, was packed. The audience included fans, producers,> critics, collaborators such as John Weidman and performers such as> Bernadette Peters -- the original Dot in *Sunday in the Park With> George.* > *Reviewed By Ignoramuses* > Other nuggets from the 90 minutes: Sondheim showed his contempt for> critics, many of whom were slow to embrace his shows. > *Musicals are the only public art form reviewed by ignoramuses,* he> said. *There are very few of them, I can guarantee it, who know> anything about music at all.* > (*I know what I like,* Rich, a former Times chief drama critic,> said in his defense.) > The composer-lyricist was asked about the public*s increased appetite> for his work the second time around. Last season, the Roundabout Theatre> Co. staged a lauded revival of *Sunday in the Park.* Next season,> it*s planning to revive his 1981 flop *Merrily We Roll Along.* > *Tastes get more sophisticated as time goes on,* he said.> *Sometimes a show grows into its own clothes.* > Sondheim disclosed that a CD of *Road Show,* which wrapped up a run> at the Public Theater last month, is likely. > *It looks like we will be recording it in February,* he said. > As previously reported, he*s compiling a collection of his lyrics for> a book, with essays by him about writing. And he*s *nibbling* with> *Road Show* collaborator Weidman about another piece. > *I should be getting back to the piano,* he said. *I*ve got to> start writing music again.* > *There isn*t anything in particular. There will be.* > To contact the writer on this story: Philip Boroff in New York at> pboroff at bloomberg.net. Last Updated: January 20, 2009 11:32 EST > _________________________________________________________________> Windows Live* Hotmail*: Chat. Store. Share. Do more with mail. > http://windowslive.com/howitworks?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t1_hm_justgotbetter_howitworks_012009> > Sign up for FREE breaking news updates at cleveland.com/updates
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