Children of Eden

This two-act musical  with lyrics and music by Stephen Schwarts and book by John Caird that turns around the tale of the Book of Genesis. The first act tells the story of Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel, whereas the second Act deals with Noah and the Flood. 

Even though it uses the Bible as a source, this musical doesn't have a specificly religious poin of view, using the text freely to ilustrate the relationships between parents and children. 

The musical was released in 1999, where it ran a short while in London's West End, yet it never played in Broadway. One can find some footage done by schools and universities.

I'm not a religious person and I admit that the title threw me off a bit, makeing me reluctand to listen to it. When I finlay did, I have to admit that it let me astonished by the beauty of the music. It pays a lot of attention to the figure of God and what he's feeling. One song that reflects it is 'Father's Day', in which he marvels over his children, Adam and Eve: 

"Sleeping there like angels

Innocent and simple

I think she's got my nose

I think he's got my dimple"

I think that these verses show pretty well the not religious aproach as he only 'thinks' Adam and Eve have his dimple and nose, whereas if it were strictly religious approach he would be certain for he has given them to Adam and Eve. And probably if it where a more religious musical God's point of view wouldn't be so important. Children of Eden pictures God as any other father in the world, watching his "children sleep."That's probably one of the reasons why God is called Father in most of the productions and even on the information found in Internet. 

"For I have built a universe, spectacular and new.

And I sat there in my universe adn learned that this was true:

What use is a universe with no one to give it to?

Not a hill of beans 

'Till you pass along your genes

'That's what it means to be a Father."

There's another great song about parenthood, sung this time by both God and Adam, in which both reflect on how hard it is to let their children go ("The Hardest part of love").

One of my favourite songs is 'Children of Eden' sung by Eve at the end of the first Act, which has some really beautiful lyrics:

Like this brief day
My light is nearly gone
But through the night
MY children you will go on
You will know heartache
Prayers that don't work 

And times of bitter circumstances

But I still believe in second chances

Children of Eden

Where have we left you

Born to uncertaity

Destined for pain

Sins of your parents

Haunt you and test you

This yor inheritence 

Fire and rain

Children of Eden 

Try not to blame us

We were just human to error prone 

Children of Eden will you reclaim us

You and your children to come

Somedya you'll come home

Children of Eden

Where is your garden

Where is the innocence

We can't reclaim

Once eyes are pened

Must those eyes harden

Lost in the wilderness

Must we remain

Oh my precious children

If you think of us try not to blame us

We were just human to error prone

Children of Eden you will reclaim us

You and your children to come

Someday you'll come home. 

The second act isn't all that beautiful, but still has some nice songs and a really beautiful instrumental song called 'The Return of the Animals'. The song I like most from the second act is 'A piece of Eight' in which the youngest son of Noah presents his wife-to-be to his family and the family nearly dies of a seizure. 

I find it a real pitty that there isn't more footage about this musical, and I would really like to watch it life. Most of the footage available is from colege and low-budget productions.