Cabaret Original London Cast Recording with Judi Dench- Page 2

Posted: 5/4/07 at 6:47pm

I find it funny just because your's is the first opposing view I've ever read to her in the role (she has her critics but none seem to have lasted about her 60s performance anyway). Nothing more nothing less--of course you can only judge by the recording (many people said on stage that the original Broadway Sally was the "one wildly wrong note" but I think she's wonderful on record)

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 6:52pm

It is hard to take you too seriously. Especially when you claim that "EVERYONE" who saw her thinks she was the "embodiment" of the character.

C'mon now....EVERYONE? Really? That is broad and very careless statement, not worthy of someone who takes musical theatre as seriously as you do.

Posted: 5/4/07 at 7:33pm

Sorry. Everything I've read on the original Hal production and on Judi's performance has felt she was ideal--also many have pointed out this was a big turning point in her career. Better? I guess I take it for granted on here that when I say something like "Everyone" it would be realized that I meant everyone I had encountered--and I wasn't speaking for the world. I didn't realize these posts were academic papers that had to be backed up with footnotes

Sorry if I offended you or seemed ot be arguing your personal opinion--that wasn't my intention, I was surprised and I guess wanted to know why you felt she was miscast--as I had never heard that opinion before.

[Scott3]

Posted: 5/4/07 at 9:04pm

Updated On: 11/11/16 at 09:04 PM

Posted: 5/4/07 at 9:16pm

Agreed--youtube used to have her Don't Tell Mama too (with her prancing about with a stiletto in her mouth)--great stuff

E

[nobodyhome]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 3:04am

The OLCR is my favorite recording of the score. Dench is brilliant, and she's also amazing in that "Don't Tell Mama" video. I'm not sure it does come from an awards show, though I have heard that. For one thing, it was shot on the actual set and seemingly with no audience. Perhaps it was filmed at the theatre with no audience and later shown on an awards show, but I don't know if any theatre-award ceremonies were being telecast in England at the time.

I think that everyone is just about perfect on that recording. I personally prefer all of the principals to their counterparts on the OBCR. And that's saying a lot.

I think that at the time Dench's performance was a bit controversial. Some felt that she came off as a healthy English girl trying to be neurotic and decadent, instead of being genuinely neurotic and decadent. (The person who wrote the London report in The Best Plays of 1967-68 felt that way.) Others (including Alan Jay Lerner, who wrote about it in his book The Musical Theatre: A Celebration) felt she gave one of the all-time greatest musical-theatre performances.

frontrowcentre2, there was, very briefly, a release on Sony West End that claimed to be the London cast recording of On the Town. It had the same cover, notes, etc. But it was quickly withdrawn because what was on the CD inside was the studio cast with Walker, Comden, Green, and Reardon, conducted by Bernstein.

I'm told that when the mistake was discovered and they went back to look for the original tapes, they couldn't find them.

It's too bad as it is an excellent recording, though there are some weird things about it. But as the only commercial recording of the score that comes from a full-scale stage production that was running at the time, it does have a theatrical immediacy about it that I do feel missing a bit in the other recordings. The men are particularly good.
Updated On: 5/5/07 at 03:04 AM

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 8:26am

someone plz make a time machine so i can go and watch Judi as Sally! I mean it wud be like THE best thing on earth! (soz... gotta love Judi!)

[joshy]

Posted: 5/5/07 at 9:09am

"I think that at the time Dench's performance was a bit controversial. Some felt that she came off as a healthy English girl trying to be neurotic and decadent, instead of being genuinely neurotic and decadent."

I've always thought that the thing about Sally was that she WASN'T particularly shocking or naughty or decadent or any of these things...the problem is that she THINKS she is, she desperately WANTS to be.

[twinbelters]

Posted: 5/13/11 at 3:14am

Fun thread. I have all but Fiddler, Company, Nanette, and Cabaret.

[CurtainCall]

Posted: 5/13/11 at 3:43am

I was brought up on this recording, about 45 years of indoctrination, so in a Pavlovian way, I really don't have much time for the other recordings.

For me the recording captures the tackiness of the era and I prefer all of the performances to the rather bland Broadway recording. I came to that recording very late in the day, so I'm afraid it's quite difficult for me to work up any enthusiasm for it.

In 2003, I was at a Concert for Peace and Dame Judi sang Cabaret again - the voice might not be for the purists but it was a thrilling moment. You can hear a recording of the 2003 concert here: http://www.djdchronology7.com/cabaret2003.html

You can also find scans of the original souvenir programme here. I managed to wrest an original copy from my father's grip, some years ago :) : http://www.djdchronology.com/abcd/cabaret1968.htm


Updated On: 5/13/11 at 03:43 AM

[RH1234]

Posted: 5/13/11 at 4:38am

Oh the irony! I put up a thread about this recording just yesterday saying that I would be happy to sell my copy, but got a load of criticism, and closed the thread down. I thought people on here would be the most likely to appreciate it, (as you are all demonstrating now!), but anyway, bad luck!

It is a great recording. You believe every word that Judi Dench sings, even though her's is not the prettiest of voices.

Posted: 5/13/11 at 5:21am

And of course there's a classic clip on one of those sites, with her performing Don't Tell Mama.

(How embarassing, when threads I posted in nearly five years back are ressurected, to read my old posts... At least I've *slightly* improved on the typos...)

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 5/13/11 at 10:08am

Wow! I started this back in 2007! I have since bought the OLC Recording of Cabaret.