Though tuneful and sweet-tempered, this slender series of comic sketches about those silly but overpowering creatures called women was already looking faded in the 1960s, when writers like Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem were finding and raising their voices as feminists. But the original “Apple Tree” had the irresistible force of its star, Barbara Harris, on its side. ~ New York Times, Ben Brantley, 2006.
Three short stories made an uneven star vehicle for Barbara Harris but the critics were ready to celebrate her. Sadly she disappeared from Broadway soon after for reasons she kept to herself. When the show was revived with Kristin Chenoweth the critics again felt that the leading lady was grand but the rest of the show was easily forgotten.
The cast album reveals some forgotten gems including “What Makes Me Love Him” and “Gorgeous.”
This concludes my Bock and Harnick series. Next up Jerry Herman's Mack and Mabel.
No comments:
Post a Comment