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
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.
