Which one?--Cabaret

The movie soundtrack with Liza and Joel Grey -- A classic.

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I like the 98 revival but I prefer Liza to Natasha!!

Yeah, Cara does have a good point... but there are a lot of songs that were cut out of the movie. So if you're going to get that one, I'd get one of the cast recordings too.

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The '98 revival cuts out the sucky songs from the original version and adds in the classic songs from the movie, so I'd go with that. I bought the original cast recording when it was reissued and only listened to it once, since it was missing so many of my favorite songs and contained so many songs...OK maybe just two or three...that I didn't like at all...like that "Mushnik" song...OK I know that's not what it's really called but I can't think of the real title.

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I just can't take Jill Hayworth's Sally on the OBC.

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That's "Meeskite". And actually, I missed it in the 1998 revival. That song performed an important task in the material. Herr Schultz performs the song, which is filled with Jewish humor and bears a Yiddish title, at the party near the end of Act One. He is unaware that the song, which he is performing as a party diversion, marks him as a Jew, because like the Jewish citizens of Berlin, he felt he had nothing to fear from his non-Jewish neighbors. The song seems innocuous and extraneous, but when it is included, and when the scene is well-directed, you should feel a sense of encroaching dread, because Herr Schultz has no idea how his life and livelihood will be destroyed by Act Two.

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In my opinion the OBC captures the spirit of the musical: lives intersecting amid a social and policial firestorm; acquaintances and friendships made that were lost, never to be recaptured as they intersect with one another then hurl along alone to their individual fates.

The major criticism of Liza's Sally is, if she sings that good what is she doing in that dump? Jill Haworrth was perfectly suited to the role of Sally. An actress who could passably put a song across, representative of hundreds of other young women anonymously singing for their suppers.

In the OBC, versus the film, it's clear that this is Cliff's story: the charactgers he met during his stay in Berlin. The film by contrast has no choice but to turn this into Sally's story by Liza's sheer force of personality and performance. Every revival has tried to recreated the film's dynamic. The OBC gives you a link to Kander's & Ebb's original intent.

Then there's the songs excised from the film.

That plus the wonderful Pirate Jenny herself, Lotte Lenya.

Updated On: 7/16/04 at 09:13 PM

I used to snub my nose at OBC. Shows I knew nothing about, performers and songs that interested me even less. Movie soundtracks were the only recordings that mattered. Then sometime in high school my tastes began maturing and I started buying more cast albums.

Liza is Liza--She is not CABARET.

I prefer her in FLORA, THE RED MENACE.

I prefer the newer cast recordings because the sound is generally better, especially the instruments. Funny, I just got the original cast at a library and wasn't really impressed with the CD...the newer one is better. Still have yet to listen to the soundtrack one!

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I have the OBC, film soundtrack, and the new b'way cast recording. I prefer the NBCR to the OBC by far. I can only take Jill Haworth's numbers on the OBC. And I love her rendition of "Cabaret."

Liza's Sally, however different, is probably the definitive. Just because she's known for the role to the general public.

I have yet to get my hands on the Original London Cast Recording w/ Dame Judi Dench. They can be found occasionally on Ebay for around...oh, $50+.

That's an interesting phrase you chose to use, Jose' - "Then sometime in high school my tastes began maturing and I started buying more cast albums." The implication that those who choose soundtracks over cast recordings don't have the developed sense of 'taste' that you do is unsupportable - not to mention mildly insulting.

Little known and sometimes hard to find (Check at Footlights if you're in NYC) is the Berlin cast album. Sung in German, of course, but it gives the show an entirely different flavour. Well worth hunting for.

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