Search - Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley :: The Roar Of The Greasepaint - The Smell Of The Crowd (1965 Original Broadway Cast)

Magical Music for the whole family

Philip Battaglia | 10/22/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

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I never saw this musical but somehow the album was in my parents home when I was a young boy. I remember sifting through selections and coming upon the song "Look at That Face". It was not only hysterical but orchestrated in such a lovely way. As a young music student the soundtrack drew me in deeper with its powerful melodies, stellar arrangements, funny and tender lyrics, and, of course Anthony Newley - Cyril Ritchard performances. Recently, after not hearing it for a few decades, I purchased this CD on a family trip returning from Disney World. Here's the acid test: My kids (12 & 16) never saw the musical either and after playing the whole CD up Interstate 95, they wanted to hear the album again and again. Truly cross generational in delight and full of emotional range, you wonder in a melancholy way how such wonderful music can go to the wayside of culture. This is a sparkling diamond of musical theater. Share it with your love ones even if you have no idea what the story is about. The power of the music stands awesomely by itself. In fact, "Who Can I Turn To?" was a Tony Bennett hit that preceded the show's Broadway debut. Play it in the car and you'll be grateful there are those fellow human beings capable of composing such joy. I'm Philly Cuzz www.OnTheWayToCapeMay.com

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You can turn to this cd

John W. Cotner | Belmont, MI USA | 10/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this musical, like anthony newley himself, is underrated and underappreciated. coming on the heels of stop the world, and just as the broadway musical art form was morphing into the rock format of hair, etc, it never got the publicity or credit it deserved.this musical, like stop the world, tells an everyman tale of universal and timeless appeal. newley of course plays the main character and we follow him on his picaresque journey through
life. cyril ritchard, captain hook to most of us, plays the sneering snidley whiplash boss and nemesis who connives to keep
everyman down.i am surprised that local theater groups have not seized on this as a staple production; it would be easy to stage and would provide roles for every age group and would entertain mainstream audiences with a simple plot and lots of good songs that you could remember and hum after you have left the theater.the songs are great, including who can i turn to, feeling good, look at that face, the joker, beautiful land and my first love song. they are melodic and lyrically witty. there is not a bad song in the bunch, but the only ones that got any popular play were who can i turn to and the joker.i heartily recommend that you get this cd; not only to add another, lesser known broadway show to your collection but also to get music provided by newley and ritchard -- two of london's best and most idiosyncratic music hall performers, who spanned the early to late 20th century. their rich baritone voices and cockney and king's english accents will haunt you and make you glad you got this cd."

Woefully Underrated Musical: Due For A Revival

Anne R. Eason | Deep Gap, NC USA | 04/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This musical is ingrained in my memory like no other. My parents bought the vinyl version after seeing Newley and Ritchard perform it on tour in Boston in '65 or '66. The record was played constantly around our house and was--along with The Sound of Music, Bye Bye Birdie, and Mary Poppins--my first introduction to musical theatre. Alas, that it has not shared the same popularity as those others. It is truly a remarkable work of theatre and music. Supposedly neither Newley nor Ritchard read music, instead they composed songs in their head and sang them into a tape recorder for others to transcribe. That's hard to believe given the sheer complexity of the time signatures and harmonies. This is a musical that is more about the songs than the story, making it incredibly easy to stage. It's a wonder to me that the musical forces of today are not eager to revive "Roar." Songs like "Who Can I Turn To" and "It Isn't Enough" showcase a vocalist's ability to, well, show off. I also think the positive philosophy behind the story make it ripe for a feature film. David Bowie once said in an interview that Newley's singing style had a tremendous influence upon him--particulary during his "Diamond Dogs" recording sessions. No serious collection of musical theatre is complete without this album!"