Welcome to a new Musical Theatre Monday! Today, I’ve got the second entry in my trilogy of posts on shows from the 1970s that I believe should get produced more often. In accordance with this month’s Literary Society of Broadway, where I looked at plays that later inspired musicals with scores by Jerry Herman, I’m spotlighting The Grand Tour (1979), which book writers Mark Bramble and Michael Stewart adapted from S.N. Behrman’s Jacobowsky And The Colonel (1944), itself based on an earlier play by Franz Werfel.

Inspired by a true story about an intellectual Jewish refugee and a reactionary Polish colonel, the Behrman play is an odd couple buddy comedy about two people with major differences who nevertheless share a goal of escaping France before it completely falls to the Nazis. Navigating the careful tone necessary to yield laughs in such an otherwise heavy story is a challenge, but it mostly succeeds, for the main characters, Jacobowsky and the Colonel, are so well-defined, and their relationship is the focus of the drama, which naturally grounds the text in something complicated but well-constructed. Now, as I noted weeks ago, I’m less enthused about its predictable use of a love triangle to channel their inherent rivalry — mostly because the object of their mutual desire, Marianne, feels more like an object than a fully realized presence (especially compared to the men around her). But I understand its purpose, and when the action can zero in on the eponymous duo specifically, Jacobowsky And The Colonel does find genuine humanity, both comedically and dramatically. So, it’s a very interesting play — and with rich characters and a captivating plot, a musical adaptation is an inherently compelling prospect.

Unfortunately, The Grand Tour is not a compelling adaptation of this play. Having read both scripts, I’m afraid the musical most suffers because it dilutes the strongest aspect of its source material — the relationship between the two leads — focusing instead on other elements that undermine the drama and throw the tone out of whack. In particular, The Grand Tour opens up too many occasions for big musical centerpieces with little to do with the plot or the main characters, and there’s way too much emphasis on the role of Jacobowsky, who was played by Joel Grey (the obvious star), making it more about him exclusively, as opposed to well, Jacobowsky and the Colonel. Apparently, the musical grew increasingly oriented around Grey during its development, much to its eventual detriment, but I think with a plotting and sense of musicalization that was already moving away from the dramatic thesis of the original piece anyway, the core of what made this property great was already obscured. Thus, fundamentally, The Grand Tour would never have risen to the narrative occasion of its predecessor.

And yet, the main justification for making anything into a musical is having a strong score. And Jerry Herman, he always delivers. That is, the reason to do The Grand Tour — and quite frankly, the only reason to do The Grand Tour — is to hear some truly remarkable songs, with melodies that lift your spirit and once again prove the ethereal, indescribable joy of musical theatre. We know of Herman’s greatness from Hello, Dolly! and Mame and La Cage Aux Folles… but his efforts here are on their level… not dramatically, no, but musically, with some genuinely exciting moments. Here’s a sample from the cast album — Florence Lacey and Ron Holgate with “More And More” and “Less And Less” — which explores, through song, how Marianne is slowly falling for Jacobowsky while the Colonel is becoming progressively irritated.

My favorite melody from the score, bar none, is the Colonel’s “Marianne” — sung below by James Barbour in an (untracked) audio taken from the 2009 Musicals in Mufti production.

For subscribers who comment below to alert me of their private, non-commercial interest, I’m offering access to both the Mufti recording and an audio from opening night of the Original Broadway production. As a sample of the latter, here’s the song that most involves the two leads’ relationship — “You, I Like” — which arrives near the end, when they both have come to appreciate each other. It’s a testament to the greatness in Herman’s work on The Grand Tour, which deserves to be played more often, if for no other reason than charmers like this.

Come back next month for another musical! And stay tuned for more Arrested Development!