Rhapsodies

I was humming Leonard Bernstein’s score all the time as I finished this sketch of West Side Story.

Part of me was wanting to have the Jets and the Sharks walking down the street looking a little bit more menacing, but this is West Side Story and the song and dance is expected just as much as the inevitable tragedy.

I have mixed feelings about just how well West Side Story holds up today. The magnificent score and choreography come off a bit cheesy today clashing with the otherwise realistic setting and perhaps this is me being too much of a fan of The Wire but parts of it feel naive and almost quaint.

Could some one do a good modern version of Romeo and Juliet set in the inner city? Hell yes! and I can’t wait to see it.