Topic What Would Barbra Do? How Musicals Changed My Life from the Off-topic chat forum.
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| Author | Topic: What Would Barbra Do? How Musicals Changed My Life |
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jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 8/14/2007 at 1:52:35 PM ET
It's not often that I have to put down a book because I was laughing so hard. However, Emma Brockes's What Would Barbra Do? How Musicals Changed My Life is that kind of book.
While anyone who loves musicals would probably get a kick out of it, women in their twenties and thirties will probably enjoy the book the most, who, like Brockes, grew up in the post-Golden Age era of the musical. The ones who were shown Yentl as part of detention and actually enjoyed it (that essay, which is about more than the detention scene, is titled "Title Song," made me gasp because I was laughing so hard-her essay on Brigadoon is also fantastic), who know what it's like to have friends and dates/boyfriends who don't understand your love of musicals, and how awesome it is to have a friend that is just as obsessed as you are, etc.
One warning: If you take musicals too seriously and can't abide any criticism of some of your favorites (especially if your favorite is Billy Elliot), you may not enjoy it. Brockes is a shameless musicals fan, but she is not uncritical. Otherwise, it is pretty awesome.
Jenn
| Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 8/14/2007 at 4:44:52 PM ET
She's a terrific writer.
as Bernadette says....just keep moving on.....
| jmslsu01
Registered User
Registered:
6/9/2003
From:
northern VA | posted: 8/14/2007 at 4:57:52 PM ET
She is fantastic-not only are there great moments of hilarity in the book, but also great moments of insight.
On Julie Andrews, in a wonderful essay on The Sound of Music (in which she eavesdrop on a TSOM message board, sees a South African production of the stage show, and makes a pilgrimage to Salzburg): "Andrews's talent is to deliver a sappy line with just a hint of anger, a steel coat that implies it takes some nerve to be such a Pollyanna."
I'm going to have to browse The Guardian's website and hope that I find her articles.
Jenn
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