Similes in Elizabeth Swados's Runaways

 Elizabeth Swados's  1971 musical Runaway has been pretty much forgotten over the years-- but the Encores! Off Center  revival is buoyed  by  a terrific  young   ensemble   and  despite  its now rather dated   era and  references,   many of  the lyrics  are still pungent   and  include some   excellent  similes.  For example, the poignant  "Song of a Child Prostitute"   likens a pimp-prostitute arrangement to a "mutual enterprise" and   says  that  "sex  is a business like kitchenware." 


"O the Dead of Family Wars"  has  oys and girls seeing   their mothers and fathers  as "scraping the strength off selves like bark off trees" or their lives " spread out like caged bird wings" and  "close up  chance  close like fat cardboard books."    

  Here's  the link to  my eview of  the  all too brief  run at City Center   www.curtainup.com/runawaysencores.html



 

Shuffle Along's Wild About Harry"" is "sweet just like cotton candy

 he's sweet just like chocolate candy
Or like the honey from a bee

 This lyric is  from  the  best  remembered   song, " I'm Just Wild About Harry " given  fresh life in   George C. Wolfe's  exhilarating   homage to the  creaters of  the 1921  musical hit  Shuffle Along.    Here's a link to my review of the recently opened  show:www.curtainup.com/shufflealong16.html