Bruce Taylor once charged Stephen Sondheim with the death of the Broadway musical. I don’t know about that, but I do know that Sondheim wrote one of my favorite songs: “Send in the Clowns” from A Little Night Music. Finishing the Hat: Collected Lyrics (1954-1981) with Attendant Comments, Principles, Heresies, Grudges, Whines and Anecdotes is both Sondheim’s quirky memoir and a textbook to writing songs for Broadway musicals. If you’re at all interested in how West Side Story, Gypsy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, A Little Night Music, and Sweeny Todd were made along with plenty of background information on the principals in the productions, you’re going to love this book.
I found Sondheim’s approach opinionated and unique. He takes you behind the curtain to see how producers, directors, stars, and even the guys who write “the Book” operate. I found Finishing the Hat fascinating. Love Sondheim or hate him, he certainly has a lot of acerbic insights about the craft of song writing and the state of musical theater in America. GRADE: A
I just finished this book–although, I suppose, “finished” would imply that I read it straight through from beginning to end, but I didn’t. It’s very much a “dipping” book–I would flip through until something caught my eye and start reading on that page. Some of the what Sondheim wrote seemed a little too dense with theories of music and metre and wordsmithing, but I loved reading how songs evolved–and the photographs are wonderful.
As for Dame Judi, well, let’s just say I prefer Judy (Collins) singing this song.
I started out “dipping” in FINISHING THE HAT, Jeff. But I ended up reading it from cover to cover. What opinions Sondheim has! I loved his analysis of Cole Porter, W. S. Gilbert, Noel Coward and others.
Frankly, Bruce’s statement makes no sense. Sondheim’s been one of the few people propping up Broadway for the last 40 years.
As a long-time fan (we’ve seen COMPANY 7 times, from Broadway to Edinburgh to a local high school production; FOLLIES 4 times; A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC 6 times; PACIFIC OVERTURES 4 times; SWEENEY TODD 3 times; INTO THE WOODS and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE once each; plus revivals of WEST SIDE STORY (twice), A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM and GYPSY – 3 times) you know I’m going to read this.
Oh, and you can add SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM (3 times), MOSTLY SONDHEIM and WITH SONDHEIM.
For those not keeping score at home that makes 37 total.
Wow! 37 Sondheim musicals! That beats my A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (twice), SWEENY TODD (twice), WEST SIDE STORY (twice), A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (twice), and GYPSY (twice). Notice a pattern…
I prefer Glynis Johns (the original) to other stage Desirees we’ve seen, though I was favorably impressed (perhaps because I wasn’t expecting that much) by Catherine Zeta-Jones. On the other hand, I expected more from her replacement Bernadette Peters, who was OK but not outstanding.
Sondheim prefers Glynis Johns’ version of “Send in the Clowns,” Jeff. I prefer Judy Collins’ recorded version (NOT her YouTube version). I liked Catherine Zeta-Jones’ version. But I can’t stand the Barbra Streisand version despite (or because) she conned Sondheim into writing new lyrics for “Send in the Clowns” for her!
I have heard him in interviews on NPR and he does seem like an interesting guy.
Sondheim does a great interview, Patti. You can spend a lot of time on YouTube listening to Sondheim talk about lyrics and music. I was tempted to post a Sondheim workshop on “Send in the Clowns” where he guides singers into the proper approach to the song.
And that’s an interesting blog topic: do you dip into or read a book like this?
I started “dipping” into FINISHING THE HAT, but I ended up reading the whole thing in a few hours, Patti. Fascinating stuff!
Nothing is worse than Liz Taylor in the abominable movie version. I like the Judy Collins too; I was jsut talking about the versions we’ve seen on stage.
We’ve seen Hermione Gingold, Angela Lansbury and Elaine Stritch as Madame Armfeldt, each of whom was outstanding in their own way.
Also saw Angela as Mama Rose in London in GYPSY and in her Tony-winning role as Mrs. Lovett in SWEENEY TODD.
You have really seen some of the greats in those roles, Jeff. We agree on Liz Taylor’s version: dreadful!
I can brag on having seen Forum with the original cast: Zero, Gilford, John Carridine, Dave Burns, but that’s it for Sondheim. Family vacation in July, 1963 (I still have the Playbills). Saw Beyond the Fringe that same week, and that’s it for New York Theater!
Plenty of people run hot and cold on Sondheim’s work, Art. I was a fan of Zero Mostel at an early age. I’m sure you have those Playbills! By the way, how does it feel not to have a DAPA-EM deadline (and compilation) looming?
Try this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-VXXZLh2a0&feature=related
Yes, Stan, this is the YouTube video I considered. Sondheim has some definite ideas about how “Send in the Clowns” should be sung.
Is it a coincidence you ran this item today? Just heard the announcer on WQXR note that today is Sondheim’s 81st birthday.
Serendipity, Art. Sondheim is a “young” 81. His writing is sharp as a tack in FINISHING THE HAT. I hope Sondheim brings out a sequel. I’ll be first in line to buy it!
Jackie saw Zero Mostel in FIDDLER. We both saw him in ULYSSES IN NIGHTTOWN (or, as Jackie’s malaproping mother called it, not inappropriately, ULYSSES IN NIGHTGOWN).
The cast included Zero Mostel, Fionnuala Flanagan, Gale Garnett, Tommy Lee Jones, and David Ogden Stiers.
Redhead Fionnuala’s full frontal nudity was a definite highlight of that show.
Nice, Jeff.
On account of your ringing endorsement, Jeff, I tracked down some footage of Ms. Flanagan in a film entitled “James Joyce’s Women”. Took me all of 30 seconds — isn’t the internet wonderful! I can see why you were impressed, as am I.
Fionnula Flanagan looks like your type, Art.