Blood Brothers/Parade

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 2:15am

I am buying one recording of each show, both Blood Brothers and Parade. Just wanted to hear some suggestions on which versions are the best. Thanks!

[shanescot]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 3:33am

Concerning "Blood Brothers," I have heard several different recordings, but I feel that the 1995 London Cast Recording with Stephanie Lawrence is the best. That's just my personal preference. :)

[sbflyfan]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 5:14am

I've always been partial to the 1988 Kiki Dee recording. I thought Stephanie Lawrence used too much vibrato on the 1995 cast recording.

Just my thoughts :)

[mallardo]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 5:57am

Agree on the Kiki Dee version of Blood Brothers. The two Parade recordings are quite different in style and somewhat different in content. I would go with the original, if only for Carolee Carmello.

[legallysam]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 7:12am

The Donmar Warehouse's Parade! No competition whatsoever!!

[Mark_E]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 7:50am

Id say the 1995 recording for blood brothers.

[hubee]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 8:38am

the original Parade is grander in scale but the smaller scope and intimacy is what makes the Donmar one special, plus it's the updated version that all Parades from now on must be. I love the original but I much prefer the Donmar recording.

[Weez]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 9:43am

I too am partial to the Kiki Dee recording; I think it's because it's the one I was brought up on, but subsequent recordings and whatnot seem to be so much slower with 'Bright New Day', and I like it to be MUCH more up-tempo. The Barbara Dickson recording doesn't sound like they're looking forward to starting a new life in the country at all.

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 11:22am

I'm going to cast a vote for the original Blood Brothers. When I saw it with Barbara Dickson, she brought a lot more to the role than when I saw Kiki Dee do the same part. I felt her pain, conflict, and regret with the choices she'd made and the original cast recording brings that back for me.

[legally_wicked]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 11:29am

Definitely the Donmar Warehouse Parade recording.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 11:29am

OBCR for Parade if just because the Donmar includes a looooot of dialogue and it's annoying for when you just want to listen to the songs.

I actually wasn't thrilled with the Donmar for other reasons. Overall, I much prefer the cast on the OBCR. I heard that Brent Carver played Leo Frank as much more of a caricature, but IMO he doesn't come across that way on CD. Not true with the Donmar.

[mallardo]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 11:36am

I saw the Donmar production and it was brilliant. But as a pure listening experience -- not so much.

[mastachen2]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 2:05pm

The Donmar production deleted some songs that made the original production brilliant, and added a few songs that just sound out of place.

And no, not all future productions have to be the Donmar production. I recently saw professional production of Parade that used the original Broadway book and music.

The cast is far superior in the OBC too, except for Carolee Carmello, who's just regular superior. The accents in the Donmar recording seems forced and unbelievable. And Christy Carlson Romano at 14 was far better than Jayne Wisener at 18.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/7/08 at 2:39pm

I completely agree. Glad I'm not the only one who prefers the OBCR

[Scripps2]

Posted: 9/8/08 at 3:34pm

The 1988 Kiki Dee version of Blood Brothers has Con O'Neil's deservedly Olivier Award winning performance as Mickey.

The 1983 Barbara Dickson version is, as Weez implies, much more doom-laden though I like it precisely for that reason.

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 9/8/08 at 5:01pm

I love this board! At first I was sure there would be little to no responses, but I'm so glad to be wrong. Thank you for all the suggestions so far. I'm pretty torn since everyone has conflicting views. I kind of want to get both Parade's, but Amazon.com's $45 price tag is kind of making the OBCR sound even better. Hmmmm....

[Weez]

Posted: 9/8/08 at 6:17pm

Scrippsy, is this thread bringing back memories for you of the days when Mrs Johnstone was playing by someone other than a Nolan sister? Or are those days too far in the past for you as well? I know I've seen 'Blood Brothers' countless times, but I have a horrible feeling that I've only seen it once with someone else. XD

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 9/8/08 at 6:19pm

Updated On: 5/1/09 at 06:19 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 9/8/08 at 7:11pm

I like the Cassidy brothers recording, too!

[dalefully]

Posted: 9/8/08 at 9:07pm

Definitely the OBCR of Parade. The dialogue on the Donmar gets really annoying after a while, not to mention, the actor playing Leo whose names escapes me at the moment is absolutely dreadful. Overall, the OBC is just a much better cast.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 2:47pm

Weez: I don't think I've seen a Nolan in Blood Brothers but that's probably because I haven't seen it in the last fifteen years!


And I'd be at a total loss to decide between the OBC and the Donmar Parade.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 3:20pm

when Mrs Johnstone was playing by someone other than a Nolan sister?

I've seen three of them - it's like their own little retirement programme... All the Blood Brothers recordings have something to recommend them, though my favourite is Stephanie Lawrence's 95 London recording, with Kiki Dee a very close second.

Amazon.com's $45 price tag is kind of making the OBCR sound even better.

It's less than that at Dress Circle, even with the exchange rate. But like Scripps, I'd have a tough time choosing...

[chrysler99]

Posted: 9/9/08 at 6:46pm

I'd go with Cassidy Bros' version of Blood Brothers and the Donmar recording of Parade. even with the dialogue, the Donmar recording is so much better (in all respects except the cast).