Essential London Cast Recordings

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:46pm

I'm trying to improve my paltry collection of London Cast Recordings. What is essential?

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:52pm

My Fair Lady (its in stereo)
Gypsy (Lansbury is the only Rose I can stand)
A Little Night Music (I wish they would remaster it, I prefer the tempos)
Any British recording of Tell Me on a Sunday other than Peters horrendous recording
Passion
Les Mis (only if you want "I saw him once" which I believe isn't on any other English recording)
She Loves Me (the original London cast has Rita Moreno singing 'Heads I win' which isn't on any other recording, and the instrumental version of 'Tango Tragique')
I also recommend for completeness sake, the OLC of ITW for Our Little World, but thats also on the New Bway, right?

thats all I can think of off the top of my head.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 7:56pm

PROMISES PROMISES (w/Buckley), CABARET (w/Dench), 1776, THE KING AND I (Elaine Paige), OLIVER! (original w/ Georgia Brown), SHOWBOAT (London revival w/Cleo Laine), GONE WITH THE WIND (Harold Rome from the 1970s for camp fun), NINE (London concert cast), HELLO DOLLY (Mary Martin), ANNIE (OLC, for Shelia Hancock), GYPSY (Lansbury).

[fairygodmother]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 8:03pm

i love the donmar warehouse cast version of company, with the excellent actor adrian lester as Bobby - interesting, because he's not the strongest singer as compared to, say, raul, but its got a rawness. if you can ever watch the video of it, that's even better, obviously.
i liked the marti webb song and dance/tell me on a sunday, but then it was when i was growing up and i haven't heard it for a while so it might have major faults i've forgotten!
the new sunday in the park with george was very different from the mandy/bernadette, and beautiful. jenna russell is fab.
i have a promo recording of a few tracks of the london batboy, which is very interesting to listen to.
i've never heard an american version of blood brothers, but (i might get shot down for this) I'm sure the london ones are better, with the scouse accent being so difficult to perfect and so desperately needed. i like my barbara dickson version, although i would like to have stephanie lawrence.
also the haymarket leicester recording of merrily we roll along is worth a listen, i'm not sure but it might have some material not on other recordings.

[notabb]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 8:08pm

I had heard the London cast of PROMISES,PROMISES was excellent. I did hear it once , long ago , and recall it being terrific

[MrBundles]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 8:14pm

whatever you do, don't choose the UK Little Shop recording.....though I would definitely reccommend BILLY ELLIOT

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 8:19pm

I love the "Crazy for You" OLC.

Kind of off topic, but any idea if they'll ever have a "Ragtime" OLC with Maria Friedman?

[MrBundles]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 8:20pm

I have the Blood Brothers recording with Stephanie Lawrence, though I'm finding it hard to find online.

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 9:13pm

Sunset Boulevard
Les Miserables
Miss Saigon
Martin Guerre
and of course: "The Phantom of the Opera" Updated On: 1/21/07 at 09:13 PM

[alterego]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 9:39pm

SWEET CHARITY w/Juliet Prowse.

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 3:36am

Chicago cuz its just simply the best Chicago recording available - Ruthie AND Ute? What more do u want?

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 3:37am

BILLY ELLIOT!

[PaigeByPaige]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 4:34am

CHICAGO (Henshall/Lemper), EVITA (Paige), GYPSY (Lansbury), THE KING AND I (Paige), THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK (Riding, Arnaz, Friedman), THE SECRET GARDEN (Linzi Hateley as Martha is fantastic!)

[Incognito]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 7:31am

The Rink OLR... Diane Lane and Josephine Blake.

I definately agree with the Annie OLR. Sheila Hancock played a blinding Miss Hannigan. I saw her in this, and she stole the show with her almost comedic perfomance.

Hancock's wonderful as Frau Schneider in the current London production of Cabaret......

Updated On: 1/22/07 at 07:31 AM

Posted: 1/22/07 at 8:09am

City of Angels - more complete than the OBC

Ambassador - Howard Keel and Danielle Darieux

Once Upon a Mattress - Jane Connell

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 8:42am

Chicago
Witches of Eastwick
My Fair Lady (OLC)
Into the Woods
Sunday in the Park with George
A Little Night Music (Original London or National Theatre)
Jesus Christ Superstar (1996)
Kiss of the Spiderwoman

And I suppose the old war horses of Phantom, Les Mis and Miss Saigon for the sake of completeness.

There will be no Ragtime OLC.

Posted: 1/22/07 at 9:52am

Mack and Mabel with Caroline O'Connor and Howard McGillan
Chess with Elaine Paige
Blood Brothers with Stephanie Lawrence
Anything Goes with Elaine Paige
Metropolis with Judy Kuhn

[sharon1]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 10:38am

Passion
w/ Maria Friedman & Michael Ball

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 11:08am

Can't believe I miss this out:

Joseph ... Dreamcoat 91 Ldn recording with Jason Donovan & Linzi Hateley!!!
It's the first cast recording I fell in love with AND Linzi is just simply amazing... get any recording that she's in it!

Also:
Anything Goes 03 NT production w/ Sally Ann Triplett & John Barrowman

[Weez]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 1:40pm

I think everyone has their own favourite 'Blood Brothers' recordings. Mine's the Kiki Dee version (seems to be London revival cast) because I vastly prefer the orchestrations, but I do like the completeness of the Barbara Dickson (original London cast) recording.

Let's see...

ANYTHING GOES (2003 RNT cast; yay John Barrowman!)
EVITA (2006 London cast)
THE FIX (John Barrowman + Philip Quast = hells yes please!)
LES MISERABLES (just because the cast is awesome! Recording ain't all that, but I'll go with the horrible orchestrations for Patti and Frances!)
MARY POPPINS (just because, yeah?)
OKLAHOMA! (1998 RNT cast; yay Hugh Jackman!)
SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (2006 cast)
THE SECRET GARDEN (original London cast)

I also really really love my 1982 cast recording of CAMELOT and 1995 cast recording of GODSPELL, but appreciate that not necessarily everyone will agree with that. These are shows where you really have to work to find a recording that agrees with you.

[WalkOn]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 1:43pm

I DO, I DO with Anne Rogers.

[Piercemn]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 2:00pm

I bought a recording called West End Girls while I was in London and it has Judi Dench singing Cabaret, but I can't find the OLC recording with her as Sally. Anyone know where I can get it?

I have the London Mary Poppins, which I love so much, I saw it twice. Valmouth with Cleo Laine is a lot of fun, too, if you can find it, and the 1969 Show Boat with Laine as Julie is very nice.

If I think of others, I'll add them later.

Posted: 1/22/07 at 2:06pm

The Cabaret recording with Judy Dench as Sally Bowles was released on the SONY West End label with the following label number SMK 53494

Also heard on the recording are : Lila Kedrova,Peter Sallis,Kevin Colson,Barry Dennen,Maggie Goodwin,Venetia Fernandez,David Wheldon Williams,Pamela Strong,Richard Owens

[musical_devotee]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 2:16pm

Some of the names that come to mind, in no order:

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1996 revival with Steve Balsamo)
SUNSET BOULEVARD (with Patti LuPone)
MISS SAIGON (with Lea Salonga)
BILLY ELLIOT
WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND

[defyingravity11]

Posted: 1/22/07 at 2:25pm

The Phantom of the Opera
Les Miserables
Miss Saigon
Bat Boy
Mary Poppins
Sunset Boulevard