Search - Robert Brittan :: Raisin (1973 Original Broadway Cast)

Good performances but an unnecessary musical

Mark Andrew Lawrence | Toronto | 04/26/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Winner of the 1974 Tony Award for Best Musical (an admittedly slow season for new musicals) this show is fine example of the trend of taking successful plays and turning them into musicals. The result in this case is acceptable but nothing special has been added by musicalizing the play. That said, at least this show doesn't cheapen the source material. The performances are all fine especially Virginia Capers as Mama and Joe Morton as Walter Lee. As always, Sony has done a splendid remastering job, restoring a song that had been left off the original Lp due to timing restraints ("Booze"... although the synopsis, reprinted from the LP jacket, makes no mention of the tune.) The booklet has some interesting notes about the creation of the show. It also reprints the show's logo which makes it look like one of those inane 1960s musical comedies instead of a serious musical play. I prefer the original play (and the movie) which remain powerful enough wthout songs."