It Just Goes To Show, Girls, Some Things Should NOT Be Musicalized!!!!!!!

With "Follies" due to close on January 22, we Theater Queens have been spoiled rotten by having it so accessible. Anything that follows will pale by comparison for a long time to come. But there are some things that should just NOT be musicalized. I am not talking about "The Shaggs, Philosophy Of The World," which turned out to be straightforward, conceptually sound, and engrossing. No, I am talking about something currently playing at the Public Theatre, as part of the "Under The Radar" Festival. It is a rock musical, entitled "Goodbar."

If the title sounds familiar, especially to my girls of of a Certain Age, yes, this is, indeed a musical version of Judith Rossner's barroom classic, "Looking For Mr. Goodbar." Which in turn became the movie with Diane Keaton, which still has the power to disturb. As does Rossner's book, which only became more fascinating for me, once I discovered the real life case (the murder of teacher Roseann Quinn) that inspired it.
In fact, I could show you the very apartment building this crime took place in. As for the bar, where the pickup took place, it was then called "Tweeds," but I knew it as the "New World Cafe". (Having since been torn down, another piece of New York City history left to the dust bin.) But it was definitely Old World--dark, sleazy, the perfect setting for Rossner's story, looking as though time had stood still. I was told it was then a place for hookers and johns to meet up. What did I know? I simply went there, to take in the atmosphere, and chow down on a half way decent burger, having in the back of my mind, the idea of writing a ghost story set there, which never came to pass.

I have a hardback of Rossner's book, and read it again several years back. It still has tremendous impact!!!! But a musical??????? Over time, I have contemplated some strange musicals myself--how about "The Killing Of Sister George?" But this????? Never, in a million years.

If it did not have a rock score, I would be tempted to go. And this factor makes me question the whole project. The story is of such a set time and place--Manhattan in the 1970s--that any musical treatment should affect that era's sound, not that of today. Which, unfortunately, I think it does. And the concept, while following the story sketchily, is more of a concert performance, a la "Hedwig And The Angry Inch," which, despite John Cameron Mitchell's brilliant work, I was not crazy for, as a show. So, while the subject matter of "Goodbar" intrigues me, its treatment might provoke me to storm out of the place!!!!!!!!!

I always thought a documentary film, delineating the similarities and differences between the novel and the real life case would be interesting. But so much time has passed, and Rossner has left us, that the people who would need to be heard cannot.

But who am I to stop my girls????? If you feel daring, go and try this out, and let me know how it fares!!!!!!!! Personally, I will stick with the stage version of "Valley Of The Dolls"!!!!!!!!!!!!

As long as I play Neely, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!