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Source:
Talkin'
Broadway.com
Reference:
A Bunch of Ratbags
A BUNCH OF RATBAGS
PREMIERE CAST RECORDING
Bayview
 Better
late than never, the Australian musical A Bunch of Ratbags has been
recorded. It's from way back in 1966 and this first recording comes
after it was given a reading last year. The show is based on a novel of
the same name and the characters are working class types of the 1950s.
They fight and rebel, they fall in love, and our hero pulls away from
the gang. There ends the resemblance to West Side Story.
Most of the tunes are very, very catchy and bouncy. I like the music a lot.
Some of the smile-inducing melodies, however, are matched to lyrics that speak
of things beyond harmless fun. "We're Goin' Out Tonight" captures the 1950s'
rock and roll energy, with references to "jeans and blue suede shoes" and Elvis,
but more than that. Referring to the "squares," the guys say they'll "really
push their faces in" and "terrorize" them (a word that is more charged now, of
course). A similarly perky melody is set to a lyric about the pleasure they
take knowing the police don't mind them "Bashing Poofters in the Park," poofters
being slang for gay men. A sing-along about an unplanned teen pregnancy
casually includes a line about the father slugging the girl. Granted, I don't
know the context, and maybe it's not meant to be presented as acceptable
behavior. Nevertheless, there's a (thankfully) dated "boys will be boys" feel.
Things get noticeably darker in other spots, such as "Cold World," which wears
no rose-colored glasses and has a harsher musical sound.
Most of the singing is energetic and well-done. Featured on more than half the
18 tracks, Liam Pedersen sounds strong on most, but appears strained on "Where
Do I Go From Here?" which would have benefited from another take, I think. He's
the chap who sees the error of his ways by the end. Along the way, there are
some nifty numbers, including a nostalgic "Old Times" for his parents and a song
about widgies for two widgies. (Widgies are helpfully defined in the liner
notes as the female counterparts to the "loutish" males of the era.) The
accents gave me little trouble; it helps that the diction all around is crisp
and the accompaniment is very simple (as in "simple but effective").
This is the kind of enjoyable album that could make you want to see what else
the writers have on the market. The music and lyrics are by Peter Pinne with
additional lyrics and book by his frequent collaborator, Don Battye. Some of
their other work is on disc (a show called Caroline and scattered songs
elsewhere, including a compilation of their musicals for children, All the
Colors of the Rainbow). This album is on the Bayview label, run by the same
Peter Pinne, and they've put out a number of other musicals, many British ones,
as well as the valued Broadway by the Year and Broadway Unplugged concert series
recorded at The Town Hall in New York City. I like the youthful energy of the
cast, as well as some characterful lyrics and above all, the very strong,
unpretentious melodies.
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