annbronson's Full Review: Greenwillow by Original Broadway Cast
GREENWILLOW was a flop musical, despite the fact that its score (and part of its book) was written by the great Frank Loesser of GUYS AND DOLLS fame, it was based on a popular 1956 novel of the same name by B.J. Chute, and it starred Anthony Perkins in his first singing role. (Yes, you read right. PSYCHO's Anthony Perkins.) It opened March 8, 1960, received mixed, but often favorable, reviews, and closed 95 performances later.
The story deals with the inhabitants of the mythical town Greenwillow, but focuses in on the dilemma faced by young Gideon Briggs (Perkins). The Briggs family long ago ran afoul of some conjurer, who placed a curse on the family. According to the curse, the eldest son is destined to hear a call, give up home and family, and wander the world alone until his death. The call apparently has already claimed several family members. Gideon, being the eldest son, determines to break the spell by remaining single and childless. He waits for his call, but finds himself increasingly in love with Dorrie (Ellen McCown). The townsfolk are supportive, but can offer no help or advice. In the end, Gideon's love for Dorrie wins out, and breaks the curse . . . apparently.
As sentimental as the book sounds, the score is quite wonderful; though if you are familiar with Loesser through GUYS AND DOLLS or HOW TO SUCCEED, don't expect it to sound anything like them. It doesn't. Those scores are urban, modern (at least in terms of the 1950's & 60's), cynical, sharp, and funny. GREENWILLOW is pastoral, gentle, whimsical, and warm. It seems closer to Rainbow Valley of FINIGAN'S RAINBOW or BRIGADOON, than the gritty streets of New York's GUYS AND DOLLS.
In talking about the merits of the score and the cast recording, let's talk about Anthony Perkins first. The man could, surprisingly, sing quite well. GREENWILLOW marked Perkins' return to Broadway after having gone to Hollywood a few years earlier to pursue a successful film career. In fact, he was starring as Norman Bates in PSYCHO when rehearsals for GREENWILLOW started. His role of the musical's protagonist, Gideon, bore little resemblance to Norman; and although Perkins had recorded three albums under his own name, he was not generally thought of as a musical comedy performer.
He earned praised for his performance, with many critics agreeing with John McClain, who wrote of Perkins in his review, "Last night (Mr. Perkins) unwound a small but extremely persuasive voice. He doesn't talk his songs, he sings-believe it or not. Combine this with his unquestioned appeal, and his gifts as an actor, and you have a rare hero in the theatre."
It's Perkins' lovely ethereal (albeit sometimes uneven) tenor voice combined with Loesser's master craftsmanship as a composer and lyricist that are the heart of this recording. Perkins sounds especially nice on SUMMERTIME LOVE and its later reprise, THE MUSIC OF HOME, and the haunting NEVER WILL I MARRY.
I have come to view this one song (NEVER WILL I MARRY) as a small masterpiece, and the highlight of a charming score. It is so good; that even if the rest of the recording was a dud (which by no means is it), I probably still could recommend the CD on the merit of this one, not quite three-minute song.
What is so good about it? First off, the melody is beautiful, and melancholy, and manages to be both sweeping and expansive while at the same time, simple and small. This simplicity and smallness is probably furthered by Perkins' voice; a bigger voice might ride the musical swells of it more grandly, but might also destroy its quiet desperation.
That said, the piece is almost too large for Perkins' instrument. He handles most of it very nicely, but pushes too hard at the end of the first A section while singing the word "dead." The result is a strident, unpleasant, prolonged tone. This is a small flaw in an otherwise thrilling piece, but one that makes me laugh from time to time. If only he'd not forced as much air through his pipes... ah well.
However, neither melody nor Perkins' voice are the true genius of this piece. It is the play between the singer and the orchestra that make the piece truly thrilling. On the main A section, Perkins has the main melody theme doubled by hushed strings. This is buoyed up by the lower brass sounding the sub-melody (a three note descending arpeggio) continuously under it. As the song builds into the B section, the voice takes over the somewhat urgent sub-melody, listing benefits to bachelorhood, while the strings sweep majestically into the main melody. The intensity of the song starts to subdue as the singer takes back the main melody from the strings with the lyrics, "For I was born to wander solitary, Wide my world, narrow my bed." We get a shortened repeat of the A section then finish with an orchestral flourish.
Other highlights of the recording are a lovely original Christmas carol (which can also be found on Varese Sarabande's A BROADWAY CHRISTMAS), the opening A DAY BORROWED FROM HEAVEN, the joyful CLANG DANG THE BELL (about the baptism of a calf), and the witty WHAT A BLESSING (to know there's a devil).
If you are a fan of Frank Loesser's other musicals, you may want to explore this little known work and add it to your CD collection. Or get it if you are curious to hear Norman Bates, I mean, Anthony Perkins sing.
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