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Critics seem to agree that Pal Joey represents one of the high points of the American musical theatre. The production which opened at the Carousel Theatre in Framingham on Monday evening calls to mind some of the reasons for the belated but immense success of this last of the Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart joint efforts...
...importance of Pal Joey in the history of the American musical theatre derives from its being probably the most significant work to be produced in the tradition of realistic musical comedy. It was in this tradition that Rodgers and Hart did their best work, seldom diverging into the separate operetta tradition into which Rodgers moved after Hart's death led him into partnership with the operetta lyricist Oscar Hammerstein. Characteristics of the realistic musical comedy tradition, stemming from John Gay's Beggar's Opera and similar' works, include a selection of bouncy tunes that require no great vocal prowess...
Just as the musical comedies of Rodgers and Hart are at the apex of the realistic tradition in American musical comedy, Pal Joey stands as their fullest realization of their art. Besides the usual virtues of closely integrated book lyrics, and score, Pal Joey offers a singularly compelling study of an individual situation, the depths of which was not approached until Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story. Although the title of John O'Hara's book leads us to focus our attention on Joey, the significance of the work lies in the eventual illumination that the captivating but amoral...
...minor complaints should be made. For some reason, "The Lady is a Tramp" is interpolated into the score. It is a fine song, but it has nothing to do with Pal Joey. Second, on opening night, two entire scenes and part of another were omitted in order for the production to finish early. Such significant moments as the morning--after scene in Joey's apartment, with its song, "In Our Little Den of Iniquity," were left entirely out. This offense was compounded by having Mr. Lawrence entertain the patrons afterwards with songs. If the patrons were willing to stay, they...
...Theatre (Framingham): telephone CE 9-9180; TR 2-3577. 23 to July 28: "Pal Joey" starring Steve Lawrence...