Secret Garden Advice

[pemberlee]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 4:18pm

I have been listening to clips of The Secret Advice on Amazon and I have fallen in love with what I've heard. For those who own the OBCR do you listen to it often? Is it worth buying or does it languish in your iTunes?

[Weez]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 4:29pm

I'm scared of the OBCR. I have the OLCR and love it mightily because Philip Quast is wonderful. It gets about as much listening time as many other shows I love. :3

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 4:29pm

Tough to say. I was in the show and only find myself listening to "Hold On" and then some of the ensemble songs I was in and not much else. Updated On: 3/6/07 at 04:29 PM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 4:36pm

The OBCR is probably the best recording. However, I have all three recordings (OBC, OAC and OLC), and on mine I put Linzi Hateley's songs and the "Lily's Eyes" from the OLC in place of Alison Fraser and the Robert Westenberg/Mandy Patinkin version.

Mandy is actually really good, he only does the falsetto on "Race You to the Top of the Morning."

For the most part the cast is amazing, and how can you top Robert Westenberg, John Cameron Mitchell, Alison Fraser (Who is GREAT, I am just in love with Hateley) Rebecca Luker and Daisy Eagen? This show is one that I put in on the drive to/from college, don't skip any tracks of and come out enjoying every moment.

That's just me though.

[Piercemn]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 4:45pm

I am teaching the book right now, and I love it. I listen to the CD often while I'm teaching it, and I have supplementary materials a friend sent me that I use along with it. The class loves it and they're just absorbing the story. I have the OBC recording and the music is so lovely. I also like the idea of the ghosts moving Mary through her paces.

After its done, I'll play selections from the musical and show the 1993 film starring Maggie Smith, which is the best version, although the beginning is different. Mary's parents die in an earthquake rather than of cholera in the film. I also love the ending of the musical, and wish they'd put that into the story. It's not in the novel either, which is a shame, because Mary deserves it. (For those of you who don't know, I won't spoil it, but it's a perfect ending to this beautiful book.

My class got to the point where Mary enters the garden today. They didn't want to stop. : )

[sondhead]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 5:43pm

I think it's wonderful. The OLC has nice things about it but took out much of what made the Broadway production so interesting--the ghosts! Rebecca Luker (of the Broadway cast) couldn't sound more beautiful and in general the OBC is just a great recording. It has just enough dialogue to let you follow the story without reading the script which is nice. You should definitely get it.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 6:08pm

I think I'm in the minority on this one. I was in love with the OBCR, and couldn't imagine how anything could improve on that cast and those orchestrations. Once I heard the OLC, however, it's all I've listened to since. It somehow feels like a tighter show, and I actually do prefer those orchestrations.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 6:45pm

I'm sorry but THE SECRET GARDEN was raped and pillaged for the RSC production in London. However it comes across on record, the show was a travesty. They turned grand opera into children's theatre.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 6:46pm

Oy, sorry to hear that! It certainly doesn't sound that way on the recording.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 6:50pm

MYB-
The RSC recording is one of those that sounds GREAT in the studio (Well, Craig Parnells aside, he just sounds...ew), but without the ghosts, and with the shifting of some of the songs it didn't work on the stage. That, and the girl on the recording playing Mary, was not my favorite of the two (Or was it three?) I agree with MB on this one, the RSC should have stuck with the original.

[sanda]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 6:54pm

OBC is the best , ever. I listen to it so many times and never ever get tired of it.

[stonewall2]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 6:57pm

We love the OCR and it's well worth having in your collection, if for no other reason than for the lovely haunting songs of Rebecca Luker, one of the most underappreciated performers around.Mandy Pantinken is incredible- I find myself hating to listen to other male voices after listening to him in this show, and then there is the wonderful role of Martha sung with great charm and in broad Yorkshire by Alison Fraser.
I find myself wondering why this show was as good as it was and the really beautiful "Jane Eyre" just didn't make it. I realize that it took 10 years to get the latter to Broadway and it had the misfortune of being up against "Ragtime" in Toronto and "Lion King" in NYC, but the tunestack is equally haunting (although quite LONG!). Wrong place, wrong time.....'If you poke around on Amazon you can get copies of both, in top condition, for the price of one!

As far as performances of "The Secret Garden".I think the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie (check at your library) was the best as far as acting and, of course, beautiful scenery goes.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 6:59pm

^^ OT, but I totally agree with you about Jane Eyre. It was 10 years too late.

[stonewall2]

Posted: 3/6/07 at 7:34pm

Not to mention the tole it took on Marla Schaffel's career. A riviting actress with a great voice, she loved the part and the show so much that she hung with it through the entire time, passing up other roles that might have advnaced her career and not given her voice such a constant work-out. She deserved better, but sometimes we all make odd choices....