What Are Your Thoughts on The Secret Garden? — Page 2

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#26

Thoughts on The Secret Garden

Posted: 6/21/10 at 1:25pm

"We love you too, newintown."

Sorry, Mattbrain - are you one of the writers, or an original cast member? Nothing personal was intended...

#27

Thoughts on The Secret Garden

Posted: 6/21/10 at 1:30pm

I loved this show! It was so different from anything I'd seen on Broadway; I remembering wondering at the time how much of that was attributable to its being created almost completely by women.

#28

This was the first show I ever saw on Broadway. Mandy Patinkin had already left the show, but the rest of the original cast - Daisy Eagan, Rebecca Luker, Robert Westenberg, Alison Frasier and John Cameron Mitchell - was still intact. I loved it. It was magic. I've heard horror stories about dreadful regional productions, so I've never been able to bring myself to see any other production. I don't want anything to taint my memory.

And no one grew into anything new, we just became the worst of what we were."

Updated On: 6/21/10 at 01:39 PM

#29

Thoughts on The Secret Garden

Posted: 6/21/10 at 1:55pm

Never seen it, but adore the score. I have the Broadway recording, the London recording, and the Australian highlights recording. I was driving home from Yorkshire a couple of weeks back and it was absolutely the perfect show to listen to on such a long but scenic car journey. I'd love to mount a local production, but I'd be nervous about have children around (and, I'll admit it, insanely jealous of the talent they would have to have to get cast). *shudders*

EDIT: um, score, not acore. Also possibly it helps I'm a massive fan of Frances Hodgson Burnett and like how well this complements the original book.

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

Updated On: 6/21/10 at 01:55 PM

#30

Thoughts on The Secret Garden

Posted: 6/21/10 at 3:20pm

Like Elke I've only seen the London production and am not familiar with the original show though I believe that's the only one licensed so I assume the authors weren't too taken with the RSC re-writes?

It had a great cast, the show was OK - if a little on the saccharine side but that's a fault with the original novel - and the score is beautiful. Would love to see a revival either side of the Atlantic :)

#31

Thoughts on The Secret Garden

Posted: 6/21/10 at 5:26pm

a gorgeous score, very moving book and ingeneous of Norman to embellish the original story with ghosts. It was produced at a time that made it a metaphor for AIDS and worked beautifully on Broadway once Mandy Patinkin vacated the role of Archibald. It never quite caught on and closed at a loss, but it really speaks to anyone who has experienced grief.

#32

Thoughts on The Secret Garden

Posted: 6/21/10 at 5:43pm

I've never seen it before but am absolutely in love with the cast recording. I do have a souvenir program that I bought at the Flea Market, and I can tell it was a beautiful beautiful production. I'd love to see a revival in the near future, and think Kerry Butler would be a fantastic Martha.

When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

#33

Thoughts on The Secret Garden

Posted: 6/21/10 at 8:35pm

So weird this should come up! I just bought the OBC yesterday, and I cannot stop listening to it. It's gorgeous! I do think it relies a bit too much on song 'snippets' rather than full songs, but I do love the big numbers, from the big operatic ones like "Quartet" and "How Could I Know" to Dickon's bizarre funky songs (my favorite songs from the show are Lily's Eyes and Winter's On The Wing).

I've never been a big fan of Mandy Patinkin's voice-- he always sounds like he's either crying or bellowing, but he acted the role beautifully with his voice. Rebecca Luker sounds PHENOMENAL.

My high school theatre teacher just applied for rights for next year, and while I just graduated, my best friend and I are pushing for her to pick Secret Garden.

In my pants, she has burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun! --Marius Pantsmercy

#34

Thoughts on The Secret Garden

Posted: 6/21/10 at 9:45pm

I love the song "Hold On," and agree the score is incredible... When I saw it I remember thinking it was a bit slow, but not boring!

#35

Thoughts on The Secret Garden

Posted: 6/21/10 at 10:34pm

I also saw the show after Mandy left. Saw it with Howard McGillin who was wonderful. Love the women on the OBC recording , but Mandy is a bit too much for me. Glad I saw Howard.

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