Once on This Island

by

Stephen Flaherty

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From the first song to the last, you will be enthralled my the amazing music and the very engaging lyrics (based on Rosa Guy's book "My Love, My Love') of this original Broadway cast recording of "Once On This Island." Written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the same duo who gave you musicals such as "Ragtime," "Lucky Stiff," "My Favorite Year," and the forthcoming "Seussical," and the soundtrack of the animated movie "Anastasia". The story of a young peasant girl enamoured to a young French-mulatto heir, it is a Caribbean Little Mermaid with touches of vibrant dance songs to tearjerkers that would make your heart heavy with sad emotion. I loved the musical so much that when I saw a local production of it, I could not help but watch it twice more, and order the CD immediately so that I would be the first one to have it in the Philippines; at least I would like to believe that. You won't regret buying this CD, and even the newer London cast recording. What a great musical!

This review will probably get a lot of "not helpful" responses, because it does not agree that "Once on This Island" is the best thing for Broadway musicals since sliced bread.

First, and positively, it begins with an excellent story. But in this case, I believe it was the story, not the music, that carried the show to a respectable 469 performances in 1990.

For the most part, I found the music to be repetitive. I felt as if I had listened to the same thing over and over. I also sensed some obvious influences from "Pacific Overtures."

Do not throw the recording away. It is still interesting, especially if you follow the libretto as you listen. The libretto pretty much tells the story, but because of the accents, much is indistinguishable without the words before you.

Also, I was surprised, as I read the previous reviews to this recording, to see so many references to high school and even middle school productions of "Once on This Island." With the complexities of the Caribbean setting and the intricacies of the music, this seems to me to be beyond the capabilities of most schools. Be that as it may!