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PLAY REVIEW

by

Denise Jackson

Caroused, the Rogers and Hammertein classic musical, has been revived in a stunning new production at Omnibus University.

Students of Rodgers and Hammerstein's work will note the fresh approach from the opening curtain. Gone is traditional park scene. In its stead is a cleverly staged "mill" workroom complete with a gigantic loom. The scene rapidly changes to an amusement park with a modern multicolored spinning carousel. Also new in this production are nonspecific ethnic casting, streamline musical numbers, and updated dialogue.

Carousel is one of the genre's first to use a serious theme. The story recounts the life of Billy Bigelow, a "barker" for the carouel. Billy falls in love with Julie Jordan, a worker at the mill, shining the advances of the aging carousel owner, Nellie Fowler. Billy then loses his job, marries Julie, and becomes a "worthless bum," in the opinion of Julie's friends. Julie's pregnancy, the turning point in the plot, forces Billy to evaluate his worthless for parenthood.

Billy decides to turn to thievery rather than to work to get money to support his family. An ill-fated robbery attempt ends with Billy killing himself to avoid being arrested. The next scene finds Billy in heaven, repentant and determined to return to earth to undo some of the harm he has caused. Upon his surrealistic return, he awkwardly but effectively touches the lives of Julie and his daughter.

Critics have called this musical "out of date and out of touch" because of its treatment of women. Most notable is that Billy actually strikes his wife and his daughter. Their reaction to being hit is that "its only his way of showing affection." In spite of this apparent flaw, Carousel has found new life in this newly satged, artfully performed production.