Mercoledi Musicale

The first musical comedy I ever saw was way back in 1958 at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. In those days Broadway shows toured, often with the original cast - in the case of Lil'Abner we got Peter Palmer the original lead and if I recall the great Stubby Kaye as Marrin'Sam. Unfortunately we didn't get the wonderful Edie Adams (left) who had created the role of Daisy Mae nor did she appear in the movie version but we did get Tina Louise as Appassionata von Climax.

I remember being fascinated by the stage wagons, scrim curtains, Michael Kidd's choreography and the general Broadway slickness of it all. Over the years I was to see some of the greatest musicals with some of the biggest stars but I still have fond memories of that Saturday afternoon in the front row of the second balcony on King St.

Here's Palmer and Kaye in a number that rather frighteningly could have been written today.



Lil'Abner creator Al Capp was a brillant political satirist and Johnny Mercer captured some of that Capp bite in his lyrics and Gene de Paul created some real foot stomping music. And it does make me think that "plus ça change ...."

26 agosto - Sant'Anastasio di Salona