‘Goldberg and Solomon' draws big house

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32612, 21 May 1971, Page 10

‘Goldberg and Solomon ' draws big house

Roy Cowen and lain Kerr attracted a big audience to the Theatre Royal last evening for the first performance of their show “Goldberg and Solomon,” or “Gilbert and Sullivan Go Kosher.” Mr Cowen wrote the lyrics and Mr Kerr adapted and arranged Sullivan’s music, and did so very well. No harm has been done to the music, which Mr Kerr plays with ex cellent touch, phrasing and rhythmic pulse throughout. His paraphrases of “The Moon and I” in the style of Liszt, which began the second part of the programme, was charming. Mr Cowen’s lyrics are amusing, and there is usually only the faintest resemblance to Gilbert’s original lyrics and stories. Gilbert’s are the better.

Mr Cowen as William Schwenck Goldberg, Esquire, and Mr Kerr as Sir Arthur Seymour Solomon carry their show through smoothly, and with excellent clarity and timing. As a duo performance there is something reminiscent of Swann and Flanders, but at a fair remove, so that anyone who hopes for Anna Russell’s expertise—as shown in her sketch “How to Write Your Own Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas"—will be disappointed.

The songs arranged from "Mikado” were all enjoyable and successful. They were "The Hours I Sit in My Room Tra La,” the “Three Little Maids from Shule,” and “Mao’s Little List.” These lent themselves splendidly to Mr Cowen’s paraphrases “M.R.S. Pinafore” gave up the very amusing “I’m Called Sarah Shmuttercup,” and “Never Mind My Why anil Wherefore,” which were most pleasing, as was “Take a Pair of Pizza Pies” from “The Chandaliers.” “The Decorator’s Gavotte” from the same operation, let the show down. _