Rating: - Musical Comedy Heaven
I would imagine it took a lot to impress Noel Coward. When Hugh Martin and Timothy Gray came to him with a musical version of his delightful supernatural comedy "Blithe Spirit," he was prepared to dismiss it. After hearing the score, however, Coward not only gave them the rights, but agreed to direct it on Broadway. "It is quite brilliant," he wrote to a friend. Who am I to disagree with Noel Coward? "High Spirits" is indeed a witty and tuneful delight, one of the great "forgotten" musicals. I don't know if the show actually worked onstage, but the album is pure pleasure, due in large measure to two of its stars, the zany and unique Beatrice Lillie and Tammy Grimes, both of whom are perfection. (OK, here I do dare to disagree with Coward; he wanted Gwen Verdon and Kay Thompson!) Edward Woodward and Louise Troy are also marvelous, bringing strong voices and intelligence to the musical's straighter roles. ... Read More
Rating: - A disc that's ripe for reissue and a show that maybe due for a stage revival?
Perhaps Noel Coward's BLYTHE SPIRIT didn't really need to be turned into a musical, as it is already a pretty entertaining litlle comedy, but the songs by Hugh Martin and Timothy Grey perfectly conjure up Coward's characters. Bea Lillie is perfection as Madame Arcarti, Tammy Grimes is bewitchingly sensual as Elvira. Did Coward (who directed the musical) help outa bit with the score? The song "Home Sweet Heaven" sure sounds like pure Coward!
ABC Paramount did the cast album. After the show closed it went out of print. MCA brought it back on CD but soon deleted it. Since most community theatres opt to do the original play instead of the musical not too many people know this score so naturally there wasn't a huge demand for it on CD. Perhaps Decca Broadway will reissue it? Hope so, as it's one of those very enjoyable 1960s scores that deserves to be better known.
Rating: - One of the great Broadway musicals
What can you say about a musical with Tammy Grimes and Beatrice Lillie? How about that it would be good even without them, because Martin and Gray deliver one great song after another? Only "You'd Better Love Me While You May" was a hit, but all the others (including the character and novelty songs) have instantly memorable melodies and ingenious lyrics.
Hearing Grimes sing "Home Sweet Heaven" and Lillie perform "Talking to You" are pretty much worth the price of admission. (At least, when the CD was still in print and reasonably priced.)
The London-cast version (if still available) had terrible re-orchestrations of the music, and is interesting only because it includes Noel Coward singing several of the songs, some of which contain unused lyrics.
Please note that the track listing has nothing whatever to do with this show -- it's for the soundtrack of the movie "High Spirits".
Rating: - A "Masterpiece Manqué"
This long-forgotten gem, a musical version of Noël Coward's BLITHE SPIRIT about a writer who inadvertently conjures up the spirit of his late wife, has a score by Hugh Martin (MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS) and was directed by Coward himself. The score has several tunes which ought to have become pop standards -- "You'd Better Love Me," "I Know Your Heart," "Forever and A Day" -- and some great character songs "Something is Coming to Tea," "Go Into Your Trace," "Home Sweet Heaven." The small cast size and score designed for actors, not singers, makes it a natural for educational and community theatres.
Seeing Beatrice Lillie in HIGH SPIRITS was one of the great theatrical experiences of my life. A recording can't do her justice, but this one does catch some of her timing and inimitable inflections. She was one of those stage stars, like Ethel Merman and Bert Lahr, whose stage personality was just too big to ... Read More
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- A disc that's ripe for reissue and a show that maybe due for a stage revival?
