Best recording for familiarizing with Follies?

So, I love Sondheim, but I live in Europe in a country without much musical theatre tradition and I have mainly discovered his musicals through the video recordings. If I am not mistaken Follies hasn't being filmed but it is a musical that intrigues me a lot so I was wondering which cast recording do you think is the best as way to introduce yourself to it. Does any cast recording contain dialogues or information that help you know what's going on? Thanks for the help and I apologize for my English in case I've made any error.

I'll echo that. The 2011 revival recording captures almost the complete show. The quality is beautiful, the tracks are easily split so you can skip the dialogue if you'd prefer, and Jan Maxwell and Danny Burstein are devastatingly brilliant.

Except that's an AWFUL production. You're better off finding a bootleg from the 2011 revival on YouTube than watching that French one.

Yes, please, don't watch that hideous Toulon dvd. The cast is not bad, but the production is the worst I have ever seen.

The original was lovingly restored a few years ago. It's really the way to go, despite its shortcomings. Then graduate to the Follies concert if you want more. Just because the revival recoding is complete doesn't mean it's definitive or the best. The original performances are legendary and pretty perfect.

Does the restored version have a digital release?

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Updated On: 3/17/16 at 11:00 AM

TotallyEffed said: "The original was lovingly restored a few years ago. It's really the way to go, despite its shortcomings. Then graduate to the Follies concert if you want more. Just because the revival recoding is complete doesn't mean it's definitive or the best. The original performances are legendary and pretty perfect.



The original performances are incredible but a recording is more than just the performances. If it slices up the score and cuts entire songs, I don't consider it the best way to become familiar with the show.

The 2011 recording is actually my favorite recording of the show. I know that's an unpopular opinion and I thought the production was flawed beyond hope, but that recording is crystal clear and complete. The orchestra and the voices sound wonderful.

My second favorite recording is the concert. Cook, Hearn, Patinkin, and Remick are great in their roles.

The original cast is definitive, but it's a hack job.

To introduce yourself to the show, listen to the 2011 recording. Once you've done that, check out the OBCR and the concert recording.

I never became a fan of the 2011 revival recording. I bought it the day it was released and was obviously very excited for it, but it just didn't work for me. The 1985 concert is always the go to for me (those main four are to die for, plus I love the supporting cast).

Updated On: 3/17/16 at 01:03 PM

ljay889 said: "2011 and Papermill.

Papermill and the OBCR were my introduction, but the OBCR isn't enough on its own, definitely supplement it with 2011 or Papermill.



I actually think the Papermill was best. Dee Hoty was a revelation and the supporting cast was great. Embarrassed that I can't remember who was Sally.

You all, they didn't ask for the best cast recording, but for the most complete (including dialogues) so that it's easy to follow the plot. Papermill is perfect for the music, 2011 Broadway revival is perfect for this purpose because you can easily follow the whole story

And I wouldn't dismiss the London cast recording so easily, Julia McKenzie was a sensational Sally

Jarethan said: "To me, the London cast recording committed the mortal sin of replacing Lucy and Jessie with A Country Home. I assume this is because Diana Rigg could not handle L&J. There was something else that was changed for the worse, but I can't remember.

Lucy and Jessie was replaced with Ah, But Underneath...