The most charming British musical ever written; a rare gem
Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 02/13/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Originally commissioned and written in 1954 as a summer 'filler' show for the Bristol Old Vic Theatre, SALAD DAYS struck a rare chord with audiences. Composer-lyricists Dorothy Reynolds and Julian Slade unwittingly tapped into a mood of nostalgia, which post-war audiences warmly responded to. It transferred to London's Vaudeville Theatre in August of 1954 and ran for 2,282 performances.
Young lovers Timothy (John Warner) and Jane (Eleanor Drew) have just graduated from university. During their first true summer as adults, the pair are faced with the task of finding employment. A mysterious drifter (Newton Blick) offers them money in exchange for taking care of a piano - named Minnie- for the period of one month. When played, the piano gives people the ability to dance and sing, and pretty soon both Timothy and Jane have the entire populace of London caught up in the spell. But when Minnie goes missing, the chase is on to find her before the drifter returns...
The show was written to accommodate the 12-member company of the Old Vic theatre troupe. Economically the show was very easy to run, requiring the bare minimum of sets, and the orchestra consisted of only two pianos. Sunny nostalgia shines through every part of this most delightful musical. Songs like "I Sit in the Sun", "We Said We Wouldn't Look Back", "Oh! Look at Me", and "The Time of My Life" are so honest in their simplicity. No crashing chandeliers or flying helicopters were necessary for SALAD DAYS to become a theatrical blockbuster.
Eleanor Drew and John Warner are the perfect central characters around whom the entire show revolves. The supporting cast includes James Cairncross, Yvonne Coulette, Dorothy Reynolds (as Timothy's Mother), and Michael Meacham.
The original cast recording conjures up a fair idea of how and why the show was so successful. It essentially presents a 'tab version' of the show, complete with dialogue. Originally released as an LP on the Oriole label (and briefly on CD in the early '90s through Sony), the London cast of SALAD DAYS has been reissued on compact disc through the Sepia label (utilising 78rpm masters).
The disc has been filled out with some great bonus tracks. Julian Slade plays the piano on two different medleys from the show; and there are two "vocal gems" selections with Patricia Clark and Charles Granville.
Also included are selections from THE DUENNA, an earlier musical from the duo of Reynolds & Slade (recorded shortly after the London transfer of SALAD DAYS) starring Jane Wenham and John Neville, joined by SALAD co-stars Eleanor Drew and James Cairncross.
[Sepia 1061]"
Track Listings (24) - Disc #1