DREAMGIRLS Original London cast recording

[kofler22]

Posted: 5/12/17 at 6:39am

It's now up on Apple music!! What do you thin of it? It's a complete live recording! 

[thirtythirtyninety]

Posted: 5/12/17 at 10:30am

thanks for the head's up!  Going to try to listen to it now

 

[morosco]

Posted: 5/12/17 at 6:12pm

I expected this to be "recorded live in its entirety" as the Amazon description proudly states but it isn't.  Unless my recording is defective there are significant portions of dialogue missing.  The first noticeable gap is after the number "Move" when the recording goes directly into the Dreams learning "Fake Your Way to the Top".  Missing is the dialogue sequence where the Dreams lose the talent contest to Tiny Joe Dixon.  There are many other examples of gaps in the story telling.  "Recorded live in its entirety?  Nope.

That aside, I think it does a pretty good job of capturing some marvelous performances.


 

[thirtythirtyninety]

Posted: 5/12/17 at 7:10pm

Love the cast, the sound quality is great, but the cuts are confusing. 

Especially the fade-outs. Whose idea was that? 

 

Reilly's "And I Am Telling You" is truly phenomenal.  My god

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/12/17 at 10:01pm

The cuts are just stupid. It's practically sung through and recorded live. I wanted the whole show. I'll stick with the concert recording. 

[morosco]

Posted: 5/14/17 at 7:59pm

Can someone explain what happens during this number?  It's the Act 2 opener and Deena and The Dreams sing one of their "hits" Love, Love You Baby.  Then there is a brief scene with Curtis and Jimmy and then the action goes back to the girls and Deena sings, "You've become a diva and I want you to know, you can be the star because I'm quitting the show, you say you're so in love with me but that isn't true the only thing you care about is you."  Who the hell is she singing about?  Why is Deena saying she's quitting?

You can listen to the number here.

[wiggum2]

Posted: 5/14/17 at 10:19pm

Hmm... I prefer the movie version of Listen to the new one

[gypsy101]

Posted: 5/15/17 at 1:44am

hm it may have been recorded in its entirety but that's not all on this album, which is strange. i wish it had been recorded in the studio TBH. Amber is sensational though. if this comes to Broadway i wouldn't miss whoever is playing Deena, though i like the girl playing Lorrell and the man playing Jimmy.

[morosco]

Posted: 5/15/17 at 9:51am

The shrink wrap on the cd even has a sticker on it that proclaims, "New 2-CD Recording of the Entire Show".

Well it's not a recording of the entire show.  Clearly this is blatant false advertising.  Shame on SONY.

 

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 5/15/17 at 10:02am

Riley sounds sensational. Not a fan of Liisi LaFontaine's Deena.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/15/17 at 12:32pm

I have mixed feelings about the recording.  I think Amber sounds amazing.  I like that she puts her own spin on Effie and it certainly pays off.  The sound is terrific so turn it up~!  Jimmy seems pretty good- I liked his energy.  Curtis has a nice light sound too his voice but no edge for the scenes where he's angry.

I do not like Liisi as Deena.  Her voice isn't light enough and she always sounds like shes on the verge of tears.  Lorell is fine and Michelle has a strange sound to her voice especially during One Night Only when she sings the changed line about marrying CC.   Seems like there are a ton of background singers on One Night only as well.   

I am also not thrilled about the sped up tempos especially during One Night Only.  

Quintet is missing during I meant You No Harm.

The Vogue Sequence is cut... why?

The new(ish) Act 2 is terrible.  Why change it?  I want the Las Vegas stair number from the original.  

The ending turns the reprise of Dreamgirls into an all out full on cast number.... why?  

 

 

 

 

 

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/16/17 at 8:48am

Has anyone seen the London production?  

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 5/16/17 at 8:55am

Deena Jones said: "Has anyone seen the London production?"

I very much liked it. I thought the casting (particularly Jimmy and Lorell) was fantastic. Amber Riley, vocally, blew the roof of the place. Acting wise, I thought she over used the Jennifer Hudson eye-roll/sassy head tilt. That voice is something not of this world though.

The new version of "Listen" does not work at all. I'm grateful to have heard Amber Riley sing half of it, but it does not fit the characters at all, and, at certain points, the lyrics are cringe worthy. 

Honestly, I'm nit picking though. It's wonderful and I can't wait to see it when it transfers to New York.

Updated On: 5/16/17 at 08:55 AM

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/16/17 at 10:02am

LYLS3637 said: "Deena Jones said: "Has anyone seen the London production?"

I very much liked it. I thought the casting (particularly Jimmy and Lorell) was fantastic. Amber Riley, vocally, blew the roof of the place. Acting wise, I thought she over used the Jennifer Hudson eye-roll/sassy head tilt. That voice is something not of this world though.

The new version of "Listen" does not work at all. I'm grateful to have heard Amber Riley sing half of it, but it does not fit the characters at all, and, at certain points, the lyrics are cringe worthy. 

Honestly, I'm nit picking though. It's wonderful and I can't wait to see it when it transfers to New York.

 

Thanks for the info!  Can you please tell us what the heck is going on with that Act 2 Opener?

 

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/17/17 at 10:48am

Why on earth are West End shows continuing on doing full company reprises at the end of the show?.  Dreamgirls should end with the four Dreams singing Dreamgirls and Deena saying "Thank you and goodnight. "  The curtain should come down there.  Then... if they want to do a sing a long like that trend that started with Mamma Mia and was recently done with the Body Guard, then go ahead.  UGH...