What do you think of them?

Apart from Two By Two (should I get a recording of it, btw?), I have heard them, and think they are fascinating in a Do not attempt this at home sort of way...

I have heard No Strings several times, but I have trouble remembering it at all. I think it's sweet, but not very interresting. And I think the comedy numbers fall totally flat. Those beaver and money songs are hideous.

I do love DIHAW. I think it has a great score, and those lyrics are sensational (of course ).

Rex is a very strange beast. It seems like the songs are very heavy handed and static, but there are some impressive tunes, and the idea of the show is very intriguing (thoughawkwardly handled). That song about the time running is beautiful, though.

Now, I Remember Mama comes through as a pathetic last gasp of the dying swan. Several of the actual tunes are nice and melodic, but the show itself seems like a great collection of misjudgements and traces from R&H triumphs. Based on the studio recording only, it seems like it's supposed to be a cross between Oklahoma! and The Sond of music, with a little State Fair thrown in. Ev'ry Day (Comes Something Wonderful) sounds like a cheap Favourite Things imitation, and Liv Ullman must have appeared like something supposed to be Julie Andrews

Do you think Sondheim is right when he claims Rodgers had no interrest in how to tell a story through song?

I find almost all of Rodgers' post-Hammerstein work ABSOLUTELY DREADFUL. Two By Two is one of the worst shows I have ever heard and Do I Hear a Waltz is embarassingly hokey (I didn't know that Sondheim was capable of writing bad lyrics!). Rex and parts of No Strings are decent enough but hardly brilliant.

There are parts of Rex and DIHAW that I just love. I kind of strongly dislike Two by Two, and I'm a complete No Strings virgin.
Sorry I'm not contributing much, lol. Those are just my scattered thoughts on this topic.

Uhm, do you have any examples of bad lyrics and why you think they are bad? I think Sondheim's DIHAW lyrics are about as great as the rest of his lyrics, they are very touching and witty imo.

I adore the music and lyrics to REX. It is seriously one of my most listened to cast recordings..Harnick and Rodgers really complimented each other well.
I also love Two By Two. both shows suffer from a book that can be tighter. Two By Two I have seen performed 3 times and the more I see it, the more I love it.
as for REX the book needs a serious re-write but I do wish it would be remounted in a lavish production, perhaps with Brent Barrett,Ruthie Henshall and Sutton Foster.

DO I Hear a Waltz and I Remember Mama have very little good in them.

Regarding DIHAW, I have no idea what you're talking about. I think it's both very witty and very touching, both music- and lyricwise. Can you who dislike Waltz please be more specific?

Has anyone heard Androcles and the Lion? This was a Rodgers TV special in 1967 with Noel Coward as Caesar (or maybe a Roman governor), Norman Wisdom and Ed Ames. Of the songs, the only one I recall somewhat is "Gentle Paws".

Coward was indeed Ceasar...saw a clip of him..delightful as ever. wish i could find the whole special.