Happy End review
How many stories as such has the world seen? You can even remember the famous "Guys and Dolls", produced in the same era. Broadway is full and flooded with such ideas and, alas, not all of them are worth a tenth part of the attention of the public. This is one of such examples.
Musical gave critically small number of exhibitions, collecting avaricious public, probably because of low tickets prices. Perhaps due to the fact that it was a kind of attempt to revive the idea that was born in the distant 1920s, when this histrionics was shown in Europe. But even then it did not have any success, revealing just seven hits at the first round of play and authors, hiding under pseudonyms, did not recognize their child. Perhaps, this could be assessed as a bold attempt to create something different, somewhat original. According to some critics, whose articles were flashed in the newspapers, it was not as bad as it was felt by the same New York Magazine, which in May 1977 gave a very unflattering opinion about this theatrical.
There were opinions (e.g., Pittsburgh Post Gazette, in July 1977), that the production might be a bold throw on Broadway’s stage, with a good chance of success, as actors were hideously sincere and could make a sweet candy out of this, along with biting sarcastic remarks that might win the audience. Practice, unfortunately, proved otherwise. Not all ideas deserve a place under the bright rays of spotlights on Broadway.
Confronting the Salvation Army and mobsters was a popular theme of that time. Especially when a young girl, chaste and pure, falls in love with the bastard on the other side of the barricades. So here, Bill lays the path of corrections, which is for the love of his lady and he is ready to go through fire, water and copper pipes. Lillian is a beautiful girl, the naive and the perfect romantic character with antagonistic outlook on life. Their union within the context of squabbles of criminal gangs and the army is completely canonical example of the struggle between light and darkness, and the reconciliation of opposites by means of the only true weapon – love.
Last Update:April, 06th 2016
Happy End Lyrics
- Act 1
- Prologue
- The Bilbao Song
- Lieutenants of the Lord Lyrics
- March Ahead Lyrics
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The Sailors' Tango Lyrics
- Act 2
- Time in a Shot Glass Lyrics
- The Sailors' Tango (Reprise) Lyrics
- Brother, Give Yourself a Shove Lyrics
- Song of the Big Shot Lyrics
- Don't Be Afraid Lyrics
- In Our Childhood's Bright Endeavor Lyrics
- The Liquor Dealer's Dream Lyrics
- Act 3
- The Mandalay Song Lyrics
- Goddam It Lyrics
- Surabaya Johnny
- Song of the Big Shot (Reprise) Lyrics
-
Ballad of the Lily of Hell Lyrics
- In Our Childhood's Bright Endeavor (Reprise) Lyrics
- The Bilbao Song (Reprise) Lyrics