Such was the stature and public popularity of Rodgers and Hammerstein at the end of the 1950s that a show that was far from their best could open, at London's Palace Theatre, to a record advance in ticket sales and cast-album orders only matched by My Fair Lady two years earlier. It was also to be expected that a London stage recording would follow the Broadway one (Philips, 4/60—nla), and this duly came from HMV under their resident show producer, Norman Newell. His recording sounds marvellous in this transfer, with an augmented orchestra playing extended versions of ''Grant Avenue'' and ''Sunday'' not included on the American recording.
Critics in London took particular delight in vilifying Flower Drum Song, with Kenneth Tynan coming up with his witty epithet of ''a world of woozie song'', a reference to the World of Suzie Wong, another hit show of the time. So how come that a score that sounded something of a let-down should now be so welcome? The elements in Rodgers's music that were then resistible, like the repetition of phrases in ''A hundred million miracles'' or ''I am going to like it here'', sound as fashionable now as a much-hyped piece of minimalism, whilst ballads that were once deemed dull now enchant in these melody-locked times. ''Sunday'', of course, was always a charmer, just as ''Chop Suey'' was dosh and although feminists would never approve of the lyric of ''I enjoy being a girl'', the tune swings along with such a zest that even they might succumb.
In short, there is no good reason why this Rodgers and Hammerstein show shouldn't join its better-known companions, particularly in the hands of a director who emphasized the clash of eastern and western manners in the music. Although this reissue isn't as well sung as its Broadway companion, it makes up for vocal finesse in sheer energy. I hope in due course MCA will round off the trio of Flower Drum recordings with a reissue of their opulent soundtrack version, conducted by Alfred Newman (4/62—nla).'