''Pearls Before Swine'' is an Australian musical with book and lyrics by Dennis Watkins and music by Chris Harriott. Billed as "in the tradition of '' South Pacific'' and ''

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''", it is a satirical take on Australia's involvement in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

, suggesting that one of the world's worst cabaret entertainers, Lamont Cranston, was responsible for the

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Production history

''Pearls Before Swine'' opened at Sydney's

Belvoir St Theatre Belvoir is an Australian theatre company based at the Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, Australia, originally known as Company B. Since 2016 and its artistic director is Eamon Flack. The theatre contains a 330-seat Upstairs Theatre and a 80-seat ...

on 13 May 1986. It was directed by

Geoffrey Rush Geoffrey Roy Rush (born 6 July 1951) is an Australian actor. He is known for his eccentric leading man roles on stage and screen. He is among 24 people who have won the Triple Crown of Acting, having received an Academy Award, a Primetime Em ...

with choreography by Mark Daly and musical direction by Harriott. The cast included Dennis Watkins (Lamont Cranston), Valerie Bader, Terry Serio, Robyne Dunn, Jenny Vuletic, Mark Daly, Toni Allaylis and

Jonathan Biggins Jonathan Martin Biggins (born 14 September 1960) is an Australian actor, singer, writer, director and comedian. He has appeared on film, stage and television as well as in satirical sketch comedy television programmes. He was born in Newcast ...

. The production moved to the Everest Theatre at Sydney's

Seymour Centre The Seymour Centre is a multi-purpose performing arts centre within the University of Sydney in the Australian city of Sydney. It is located on the corner of City Rd and Cleveland St in Chippendale, just south-west of the city centre. The b ...

between 5 June and 5 July 1986. It then transferred to Melbourne, playing at the Universal Theatre from 15 July 1986 to 24 August 1986. Penrith's Q Theatre revived the musical in June 1988 and this production also played at the

Riverside Theatres Parramatta Riverside Theatres is a multi-venue performing arts centre located in the CBD of Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Opened in 1988, its venues include the 761-seat proscenium arch Riverside Theatre, the 213 ...

's Lennox Theatre.

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released a cast recording in 1986.

Musical numbers

Musical numbers taken from the cast recording:

Side One

*Overture *"Saigon: R&R" - Toni Allaylis, Jenny Vuletic & Robyne Dunn *"We Open in Loc Ninh" - Valerie Bader *"What a Wonderful War" - Terry Serio *"The Tripping Song" - Terry Serio *"Crazy Asian War" - Toni Allaylis & Terry Serio *"Blood on My Hands" - Terry Serio *"Psychedelic Love Child" - Jenny Vuletic *"The Letter" -

Side Two

*"Centennial Park" - Dennis Watkins *"Into the Heart of Darkness" -

*"Viet Conga" - Mark Daly, Robyne Dunn & Cast *"Pearls Before Swine" - Dennis Watkins *"Perfect World" - Terry Serio & Toni Allaylis *"I'll Be There" - Valerie Bader *"Vietnam Veteran" - The Cast *"What a Thrill" - Dennis Watkins & Cast

Reception

Critical reaction was highly positive. ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' called ''Pearls Before Swine'' "a highly subversive, thoroughly entertaining, flawlessly constructed piece of propaganda that is beautifully directed by

". ''

The Age ''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory ...

'' said that the musical "bounces along with tremendous verve and gusto, pillaging and plundering and laying siege to good taste" and "if it's not a smash hit with Melbourne audiences, I'll be surprised".

References

{{Reflist Australian musicals 1986 musicals Vietnam War in popular culture Musicals set in Vietnam