The History of the Musical (Unabridged)

I’ll admit, I approached this with skepticism. Too many theater histories either drown in trivia or skim the surface like a tourist brochure. *The History of the Musical* sidesteps both pitfalls by being *opinionated*. Fawkes doesn’t just recount the rise of the book musical—he *judges* it, calling out *Show Boat*’s racial blind spots as deftly as he praises its ambition. That critical edge keeps the listen lively, even when covering familiar ground like the Golden Age. Then there’s Kim Criswell, whose narration is so effortlessly theatrical it’s easy to forget she’s reading, not performing. Her delivery of lyric snippets—like the way she lingers on Cole Porter’s double entendres—makes you *hear* the wit anew. My only gripe? The production occasionally cuts musical clips too abruptly, leaving a jarring silence where a fade would feel more natural. And while Fawkes’ breezy style is refreshing, his dismissal of jukebox musicals as “creative bankruptcy” feels reductive (ever seen *Moulin Rouge!* on stage, Richard?). Still, this is the rare audiobook that *earns* its unabridged label. The pacing is relentless, the research worn lightly, and the passion palpable. If you’ve ever hummed a show tune without knowing why it sticks, this’ll tell you—and make you laugh while doing it.