Martin Guerre

[phantom8019]

I really enjoy both recordings of this show and think it is the best score of B & S. I like it better than Les Miserables and Miss Saigon.

Does anyone know if this show has any sort of future? Also, have B & S quit writing musicals?

[GretchaSketh]

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.

[Eastwickian]

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/

[JudasIscariot]

I am hoping for The Pirate Queen to be a success. Rumour has it that Colm Wilkinson is slated to be in it.

[lovinlife]

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.

[RentBoy86]

Why did it not make it to Broadway? Was it not selling well on tour? Or did it just get horrible reviews?

[Enjolras77]

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.

[children&art]

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.

[Enjolras77]

LOL..that number was hilarious!

[Enjolras77]

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.

[musicalkid]

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.

[RentBoy86]

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.

[Zimmy]

that is Matt's younger brother Dan - a regular on the Les Mis tour over the past few years

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.

[GretchaSketh]

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!

[mpw607]

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

[AuditioningWaitress]

Does anyone in London know if "The Making of Martin Guerre" ever got on DVD?

[Eastwickian]

No it wasn't

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!

[Enjolras77]

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.

[Eastwickian]

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

[Enjolras77]

Thanks! That helps a lot!

[Eastwickian]

No problem - though it's a good indication of how bored I am at work at the moment!

[lovinlife]

lololol

[musicnmath]

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.

[Chris T]

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.