Legitimate Theater: "Carnival!" (1961)

Carnival!

Welcome to Legitimate Theater: a column dedicated to movie-based stage musicals. The goal of this series is to explore those stories that originated in films and eventually worked their way onto Broadway and beyond. By the end of each entry, there will hopefully be a better understanding of this odd but rampant trend in modern entertainment. Are these stories really worth telling through song and dance? How can it even compare to the technical prowess of a camera and seamless editing? Join me on this quest as I explore the highs and lows of this trend on the third Wednesday of every month and hopefully answer what makes this Legitimate Theater.

Opening

July is heating up, literally. Many are turning to outdoor activities to try and enjoy their free time and make the most of things. With many towns putting on fairs and carnivals, it only makes senes to explore the show Carnival! to celebrate. Based on the film Lili starring Leslie Caron, it has a lot to live up to like a show that is largely about theatrical production and bringing people into a carnival ring to see what all of the excitement is about. Is the show worth investing in? Should you buy a ticket to walk in and see the singing puppet show? Why not get out of the heat and find out below.

A Quick Background

Tony Wins: 1 win (Best Actress in a Musical) and 5 nominations (including Best Musical)

Based on: Lili (1953)

Music: Bob Merrill

Lyrics: Bob Merrill

Book: Michael Stewart

Prominent Actors:  Anna Maria Alberghetti, James Mitchell, Kaye Ballard, Jerry Orbach

Soundtrack

1. "Opening"
2."Direct from Vienna"
3. "A Very Nice Man"
4. "I've Got to Find a Reason"
5. "Mira"
6. "A Sword and a Rose and a Cape"
7. "Humming"
8. "Yes, My Heart"
9. "Everybody Likes You"
10. "Love Makes the World Go 'Round"
11. "Yum Ticky"
12. "The Rich"
13."Beautiful Candy"
14. "Her Face"
15. "Grand Imperial Cirque de Paris"
16. "I Hate Him"
17. "Her Face (Reprise)"
18. "Always, Always You"
19. "Always, Always You (Reprise)"
20. "She's My Love"
21. "Finale"

Note: Listen to the music here

Song Exploration

Opening Song:
"Direct from Vienna"

Any adaptation of Lili needs to have some theatrics on display in the music. While the opening is itself a carnivalesque orchestra, this song creates an allure for the people who work inside of it. By the end of the track, there's a sense of excitement and spectacle that will be on display. It's essentially the selling point that gets Lili to join the carnival and begin performing. As a whole, it's an upbeat and catchy song that captures the lyrical wonders that make this an enjoyable show overall. While it makes room for pathos, it is done through elaborate numbers that are undeniable and give the show more depth. By the end of the song, it's almost too much to reject joining the carnival, if just because it will disappear soon enough and fill you with regrets to have missed such an exciting thing.

Carryovers

The plot is mostly the same this time around. There's nothing too out of place to complain about. The one thing that may be a bit disappointing, at least from the soundtrack perspective, is that a certain song is missing from the recording. "Lili" is arguably the lasting legacy of the film and to see it missing here is a bit of a disappointment. With that said, the soundtrack does replace it with some fun and upbeat silly songs that capture the same energy. 

High Point:

"A Very Nice Man"

With the introductory song by Lili, we get the sense of why this show won Anna Maria Alberghetti a Tony Award. While the rest of the album features her doing some great voice work, the opening song is a chance for her to play with the wittier side of the show. There's a lot of things in this song that is very nice, and to hear Alberghetti rattle them off captures her own enthusiasm for joining the carnival. It's fun and captures the show perfectly in one song. It's cheeky in the correct ways, and the lyrical wit is also fairly effective here. With that said, most of the theatrical songs that rely on grandiose musicianship is just as fun and worth being considered here.

Low Point:

"Always, Always You"

Like most Broadway productions it seems, the back half features a lull in the overall quality of songs. Rarely is that truer than here, where the battle to separate from Lili's lover is given musical treatment. It's big and dramatic, but it's also way too much crammed into one space. It wants to capture the tension of these two characters. It works, but it's also just a bit annoying on a soundtrack that is largely memorable and fun. In fact, Carnival! performs the rare feat of managing to make the reprise a lot better than the original song, which if nothing else feels more clairvoyant in purpose and gives this song a retroactive upgrade in quality. Still, it's an annoying song by itself and lasts for way too long.

What Does It Bring to the Story?

In one sense, it doesn't do much that's that new. However, it does replace the use of "Lili" with other less memorable songs. The theatrics are still there and they are all fun and goofy, but considering that "Lili" is a pop standard, it feels like a loss to have this be the one element removed from the adaptation. The rest is pretty good, however, and I like how it gives an additional voice to supporting characters through music numbers that aren't just big, but they're also some of the best moments in the soundtrack. It's hard to deny wanting to see the show after "A Sword and a Rose and a Cape" plays. It works as entertainment in all of the correct ways, drawing people into carnival rings with the hope of anticipation.

Was This Necessary?

Yes

On one hand, the show is very much of its time in the early 1960s. It has so much cheese in it that those wanting more serious shows will be turned off. However, those who revel in carnivalesque mentalities and desire theatrics, there's a good chance that this is one of the best tonal adaptations covered on Legitimate Theater so far. It feels like walking through a carnival and seeing all of the spectacles. It helps that Alberghetti is a great singer and makes the numbers more emotional and tender. It's good enough in large part because the music warrants it. It's goofy, but not in a disposable way. It definitely earns that exclamation point.