The Rink: Original London Cast

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 2:52pm

I am a huge fan of this show, and the OBC. Anyone have any thought on the London recording of the show? Thanks!

[AuditioningWaitress]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 2:56pm

You're testing my memory, but I remember liking it...I haven't heard it for years. But I remembered liking Diane Langton's(was that her name?) version of "Coloured Lights".

[roquat]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 2:59pm

It had moments. I remember hearing that Diane langton was sort of the British Liza--she had some of the same physical addiction problems, etc.

For me, nothing beats the OBCR of "The Rink". That was some of the most honest, unshowy singing Liza ever did.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 3:00pm

Cool, thanks AW. I always respect your opinion. I'll check it out. Fromt he clips I heard on Amazon, the Anna sounds great.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 3:01pm

what about the Broadway cast???...Jason Alexander has to be one of the best male singers out there...and Liza is fierce!!!

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 3:04pm

I have the OBC. It's great. Chita and Liza, as well as the rest of the company, are superb.

[Flahooley]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 3:33pm

I REALLY liked the OLC recording. One of the few Brits playing Yanks recordings that works for me.

I have a problem with the score. I've always thought the songs, while great on their own, are much to "showbiz" for such ordinary characters.
Updated On: 12/8/05 at 03:33 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 3:49pm

The London recording is much more complete that the OBCR. It includes a lot of dialogue that is paramount to the understanding of the story. Anna and Angel are extremely well-played by Blake and Langton, respectively.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 3:50pm

Thanks Flahooley and MEF. I'll order it, and write a full report when I give it a full listen.

[Kringas]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 3:54pm

I've both. I always thought it was odd that "Jesus" was changed to "Lady" in "Don't 'Ah Ma' Me."

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 4:02pm

I think this is a BRILLIANT Kander and Ebb score. It was one of the first CDs I ever bought. I mainly got it because Scott Holmes was in it, and I did theatre with him in NC when I was a child. I think, however, it was probably not a very "healthy" time in Liza's life. Her voice is good for most of it, but you hear the beginnings of that huge wobble in her voice that's only gotten bigger. Anyone know where this work falls in her history of ups and downs with addiction? I just don't know why I feel in listening to that cast recording that she's dealing with major problems. It's just a vibe I get.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 4:06pm

Liza was indeed not healthy. She missed many performances and left the show after only a few months (Stockard Channing replaced her). Her understudy, a then-unknown Mary Testa, went on numerous times throughout the run.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 4:07pm

From what I heard, this was a very dark period for Liza. I believe Chita has gone on the record and said she basically had to hold Liza up for several performances.

Kander and Ebb sort of blamed Liza for The Rink flopping in their interview book, stating that Liza's fans weren't willing to accept her in an unglamorous role.

[Jon]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 6:30pm

I always was amused by the fact that because of the flashback structure of the show, Jason Alexander had to sing a love song to a woman literally old enough to be his mother (Jason is exactly my age, Chita is exactly my mother's age).

[AuditioningWaitress]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 7:54pm

Thanks for vote of confidence Bobby! This is a recording I actually on have on cassette tape!!! How sad is that! I never got around to getting the CD reissue!

[morosco]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 8:00pm

Some time ago there was a thread that speculated that the lowest note ever sung by a female on Broadway was the one sung by Chita in the song "We Can Make It".

[roquat]

Posted: 12/14/05 at 6:34pm

The lowest note ever sung by a female on Broadway was indeed sung by Chita Rivera, but not in "The Rink". It was in "Spider Woman"--a C-sharp below middle C--the "I" in "I Do Miracles."

Close second--"With Every Breath I Take" from "City of Angels"--the "morning" of the first line ("There's not a morning that I open up my eyes/And feel I didn't dream of you.') It's a D-sharp below middle C, I believe.

[fiatlux]

Posted: 12/14/05 at 7:26pm

I was told that Diane Langton got very frustrated with Kander & Ebb, who had a habit of giving her direction prefaced with "Liza played it like this...."

[Smaxie]

Posted: 12/14/05 at 7:46pm

What note does Lauren Bacall sing in Woman of the Year's "One of the Boys" on "for barbershop fours I'm a fabulous bass"?

[morosco]

Posted: 12/14/05 at 8:38pm

"The lowest note ever sung by a female on Broadway was indeed sung by Chita Rivera, but not in "The Rink". It was in "Spider Woman"--a C-sharp below middle C--the "I" in "I Do Miracles.""

I just remembered that Chita hit even lower notes in THE RINK when she sang the line "scratch my back" during "The Apple Doesn't Fall". AMAZING!