Search - Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, Roger Rees :: A Man of No Importance (2002 Off-Broadway Cast)

A show of much much much much importance!!!!

cutielyricist | los angeles, CA | 04/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a major fan of this collaborative team for years and when the cd came out I was scouring the stores trying to find it as they opened. I eventually ordered it off amazon and have been listening to if for the past few days. It is amazing. Its hard to explain the it has some of their most simple music and lyrics yet the most beautiful. When the first notes play I feel myself relax and get drawn into the world they made. The lyrics are perfect down to earth and descriptive without being too poetic. Yet at the same time they are. Every time I hear it I discover something new not only about the show and story but about their talent. Its totally different from anything they done which I respect them for. And it has their style, certain chords that are in other shows that make them known for who they are. Like this show, their music is full of contradictions constantly showing that they know much more than they give, and always leave you wanting more. And they deliver far past expectations over and over again. These people are my idols and I could only hope to be up to their caliber some day. But until then its great to have something this wonderful to learn from. It is a VERY classy show. Very low key and wonderful to listen to. Its an amazing and wonderful show and had me drawn in from the very beginning..and keep you captivated until the end...and into the really touching bonus track."

A great musical drama from the creators of "Ragtime"

I. Sondel | Tallahassee, FL United States | 10/23/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very special little show. Based on a film that starred the great Albert Finney, Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (the team who brought us the musical "Ragtime") have created a haunting and melancholy musical of repression and unrequited love. Roger Rees plays Alfie Byrne - a closeted gay bus conductor who worships Oscar Wilde and lusts after Robbie - his beautiful young bus driver(Steven Pasquale).



Alfie lives with his spinster sister Lily (played by Faith Prince), who refuses to get on with her own life and marry the butcher William Carney (played by Charles Keating).



Alfie reads poetry to the passengers on his bus, and attempts to stage "Salome" with a group of local players. As his yearning for Robbie and his desire to come out of the closet overtakes him, Alfie is rebuffed by the church and encouraged by the ghost of Wilde. Coming out results in initial disaster - a brutal gay-bashing which is nothing compared with complete exposure to family, friends and co-workers.



Terrence McNally has been telling "our" stories for years - "Kiss of the Spider Woman," "Love Valor Compassion" - even "The Full Monty." His work here is inspired. The score is what we have on this CD - and it's terrific. Flaherty and Ahrens won a Tony for "Ragtime," and also wrote "Once On This Island," "Seussical" and "Dessa Rose." This score is one of their best (this is a team we should be hearing from for decades). The titular number is a knockout. The ensemble couldn't be improved upon. "Princess" (sung beautfully by Sally Murphy), "Man in the Mirror" and "Love Who You Love" are evocative, character infused ballads. "The Streets of Dublin" is a showstopper. The orchestrations by William David Brohn and Christopher Jahnke are outstanding, as is everything about this recording.



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