Wonderful Town, was based on the play My Sister Eileen, which in turn, was filmed by Columbia, in 1942, under that name, starring Rosalind Russell (Ruth) and Janet Blair (Eileen). It was filmed again in 1955 using the same title, this time with Betty Garrett, Janet Leigh, Jack Lemmon, Bob Fosse and Tommy Rall. Columbia were too mean to fork out for the winning stage-score and engaged Jule Styne and Leo Robin to write a substitute. It was no match for this Bernstein original.

Wonderful Town opened on Broadway in 1953 and ran for 559 performances. It starred Rosalind Russell again as Ruth, but with Edith Adams as Eileen. Today, Wonderful Town is largely overshadowed by Bernstein’s other stage works like On the Town and West Side Story which is a pity as this sparkling new Rattle recording proves. Its story is about two sisters from Ohio and their wacky adventures in New York’s Greenwich Village. Eileen’s beauty enslaves the men, including half the police force in the very witty ‘My Darlin’ Eileen’ in which they insist she is Irish because they think she "comes from Kilarney." But Sister Ruth just wants to become a successful writer. Bernstein’s exuberant, jazz-based score is big and breezy especially in the colourful celebration of the larger-than-life characters of ‘Christopher Street.’ The score also embraces the conga, swing and rag forms. All the singers are excellent, attacking their characterisations with great enthusiasm and commitment, and relishing the sharp-witted lyrics of Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Audra McDonald as Eileen is sweetly sentimental in ‘A Little Bit in Love’ while Kim Criswell, as Ruth, is wickedly funny in ‘One hundred easy ways to (loose a man). The ever-versatile and impressive Thomas Hampson is dreamily romantic in ‘It’s Love.’

This album is a real tonic. Outstanding.

Reviewer

Ian Lace

Reviewer

Ian Lace