It is one of my favorites. But unfortunitely it didn't even make it to Broadway. The music is beautiful and the story line is wonderful.
What is your dream role?
My dream role would be to be myself. To be performing at the Hollywood Bowl and to have an audience there just to see me, as Stephanie. They are there because they like what I do as a singer, an artist and a person (the last being the most important). I enjoy escaping and portraying other characters, but to be accepted and wanted as yourself... that's amazing! --Stephanie J. Block
Just one of the many reasons I admire and respect Stephanie!!
I loved Martin Guerre in all it's (flawed) incarnations. But B & S are still writing - their new show is The Pirate Queen: http://www.thepiratequeen.com/
I am fortunate enough to have Version One and Version Two which toured and is the more "popular" version. I think the show was better before they re-wrote it and wished this could have made it to B'Way.
"All I want is the truth, just give me some truth!"- J. Lennon
The show seemed to always be in some state of revision. I don't think B & S ever got the show to the point where they felt safe bringing it to broadway.
BTW--I also own the 1996 London CD and like a lot of this better than the tour version--although I do like several of the new songs added for that version.
"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." --Harold Hill from The Music Man
i remember listening to a friend's CD in college, the only song i can recall with any fondness or clarity is the "sleeping all alone" number with the 3 crones.
Don't f*ck with me fellas. This ain't my first time at the rodeo.
"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." --Harold Hill from The Music Man
In 1996 when the first CD came out I had actually just finished reading the book "The Return of Martin Guerre" for a class. I told my professor that there was a now a musical of the story which he thought was funny. In class that day he began trying to come up with songs that would go along with the story.
"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." --Harold Hill from The Music Man
I like the original version CD much better than the later one (plus, the original had amazing lush orchestrations!!!)
the only new/rewritten song worth keeping from the second version was "live with somebody you love" which is probabely the one of the best male-duets ever written for musical theatre.
On Matt Bogart's CD he does a duet w/ - I'm guesing his brother, since they have the same last name - from this show, its sounds so lush and beautiful with all the orchestrations and a big full orchestra sound. I wish this show had a life after the tour. maybe if Pirate Queen is a success, it will find some life.
Loved Martin Guerre. Saw it in London...much bigger cast that the U.S. version and much more dancing than the version in DC. Do not understand why it will not transfer to Broadway.
I saw the show in London years ago and then in LA. It's a wonderful show and I remember it much better when it was in LA (probably cause it was more recently!) But I thought it really was a beautiful show. I was so excited for it to come to broadway but then it never did. it's also where I first saw Erin Dilly (as Bertrande). There are really some beautiful songs in this show (Don't, How Many Tears, Martin Guerre). It's too bad it didn't make it to broadway!
What is your dream role?
My dream role would be to be myself. To be performing at the Hollywood Bowl and to have an audience there just to see me, as Stephanie. They are there because they like what I do as a singer, an artist and a person (the last being the most important). I enjoy escaping and portraying other characters, but to be accepted and wanted as yourself... that's amazing! --Stephanie J. Block
Just one of the many reasons I admire and respect Stephanie!!
I also saw the show in London in the mid 1990s and really loved it. I found the music really haunting. I'm glad this has come up now, as a prompt to get a recording
The show that reached America was actually the fifth version - it went through three distinct verions in London (new songs and scenes, cut songs etc), the UK tour was a complete overhall musically and lyrically, and then the US tour swapped songs and changed lyrics again (most noticably in the act one finale)
I just wish they'd hurry up and decide which version they want to release the rights for so the show can have a new life!
On one of the chat boards or in an article somewhere there was a list of similarities and differences between the 1996 and 1999 albums--but I can't seem to find it anywhere. I know a lot of the songs or melodies from the 1996 version were used in the 1999 tour version, but under different titles and with new lyrics. Can anyone tell me which of the songs from the orginal recording are retained on the tour version in some form? You can post it here or PM me. I used to know this but have since forgotten.
I have had the 1996 recording since..well 1996...and have always been reluctant to buy the tour recording because I am so fond of many of the songs in the original. After reading this thread I am tempted to purchase it now but am curious as to which songs have been retained.
"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." --Harold Hill from The Music Man
I've listed the original titles followed by the new, though they're not always in the same place in the '99 score
1. Prologue - Cut 2. Working On The Land - Welcome to the Land 3. Where's The Child - The revelation 4. Martin Guerre - I'm Martin Guerre 5. Here Comes The Morning - If you still love me (not on recording) 6. Sleeping On Our Own - cut 7. When Will Someone Hear? - cut (replaced by How many tears) 8. Louison / Welcome Home - Louison (not on recording) / Cut 9. Tell Me To Go - Don't 10. Bethlehem - The holy fight 11. All I Know - The day has come / Alone (US title) 12. Entr'acte - Entr'acte (not on recording) 13. The Courtroom - The Courtroom 14. Me - Who? 15. Martin Guerre (Reprise) - I'm Martin Guerre (reprise) 16. Someone - All that I have 17. The Imposters - The imposter is here 18. The Last Witness - The final witness / The verdict 19. I Will Make You Proud - Justice will be done 20. The Madness - The burning 21. The Reckoning - The killing 22. The Land Of The Fathers - Cut
"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering." --Harold Hill from The Music Man
I saw the show in 98 (twice) in London...and remember especially the stomping choreography that really captured the rural peasant feel. I remember it being a very dark show and wondering how well it'd do. Pesonally, I loved it.
Sleeping On Our Own went with the first cast change in the London Martin Guerre, it was replaced by a new song, called The Solution (I think) sung by MMe Le Rols and Pierre Guerre, where they hatched a plot to marry Bertrande to Guillame to produce the heir.