Customer Reviews

Moby Dick: The Legend Lives - The Complete Show In All It's Glory (Original London Cast)

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Brief overview: Cash-strapped British Public School for Girls puts on musical version of Moby Dick. It's such a great shame the live version of this show collapsed under extremely harsh critical reviews when it premiered in London. Taken for what it is, an outrageous blend of St Trinians and Rocky Horror with not a small amount of Monty Python thrown in for good measure, you cannot fail to be hooked by the infectious tunes and sheer enthusiasm the performers put into each and every song. This recording is taken from the last week that the show ran and really captures the atmosphere of being in the auditorium; something we can only dream about now it is no longer running. The main male lead plays the headmistress who in turn plays Ahab; double cross-dressing, who else would think of it? Please don't expect a serious piece of music or you'll be disappointed; though that's not to say that the music isn't well written, it certainly is. If you listen to this and it doesn't get your foot tapping, I'll be amazed. The finale is outstanding, and this musical through and through deserves a higher profile and a live revival.

One of the worst travesties in London theatrical history occurred when this show closed after its short run at the Piccadilly Theatre Savaged by the critics (well most of them) but loved by the audiences this enthralling musical lampoon of Melvilles epic as staged by a "St Trinians" school clone never fails to please. From the opening "Parents Day" which explains the staging of the musical through the wonderful "Forbidden Seas", "Gypsy Dancer" and the fantastically vocal "Man Happens" the lyrics at times bring tears to you eyes for all the right reasons. The only regret is that all the visual gags and mock amateur staging that accompany the songs has been lost. Men playing schoolgirls playing sailors.... hmmm I can see why the snooty critics saw it as a soft target but 12 years on the legend endures. Hopefully Mr Mackintosh will have enough faith in his creation to restage it at some point in the future and until then we at least have a fitting memorial in this recording.

This live recording of MOBY DICK THE MUSICAL belongs in every serious musical collectors library. Recorded originally for the cast, it captures a live recording of the show, complete with audience howls and reactions. You can't see the dancing seals, or the 3-D rocks being hurled at the audience...but you can hear the reaction!

The music is pop-rock, and the story actually follows the book in general plot development. I am so fortunate to have seen this musical (twice) in London, as it is a live-theatre experience I will never forget.

But if you are not familiar with the show, this CD belongs in your collection. It has become a rare collectors piece.

After listening to this incredible utterly impossible-to-classify musical, one wonders what it is that makes such mediocre scores like "Wicked" a complete success and what makes a brilliant hilarious musical experience different from anything you've heard before in the genre a failure. It seems that this work is getting known little by little ironically for having been a complete flop after a short life on stage. In a recent interview Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar stated that children from a very early age usually dream of becoming astronauts, doctors, football players or writers but that if any child would tell his parents: "I'd like to become a critic in the future", the urgent thing to do would be to take this child to the psychiatrist. My personal piece of advice is never trust critics when their negative reviews are so extremely harsh as they were with this musical. And who knows, maybe one day it will be back on stage for the pleasure of the audience and the bewilderment of the vocational critics.

The only problem with this recording is that the listener can't see the energy and wonderful enthusiasm of the cast along with the incredibly imaginative staging. I had the pleasure of seeing this production three times in its far too short life at the Piccadilly Theatre, and I was enthralled each time. Yes, this is a live recording, and some of the production values aren't as good as they were in the five song CD "single" released early in the run, but it's a wonderful tribute to a show that was extremely unfairly savaged by the stuffy London critics who couldn't stand Melville's dirge being lampooned. I particularly love "Elija's Prophecy" in which he states that the Pequod will sink done as a horn pipe. The show was done with tongue firmly implanted in cheek, and there was plenty of cheek there. It's also a shame that listeners can't see the opening of the second act which was a 3-D extravaganza. What joy! The cast is young, except for Tony Monoply as the head mistress, and vibrant. The music is excellent and wonderfully well performed.

Buy it for yourself, buy it for a friend, just buy it. Rarely is musical theatre so silly and so delightful. I bought it because I couldn't imagine Moby Dick as a musical. I listened to it and I still can't. This is a play within a play. Songs range from silly, to fun, to serious, to depressing. It's so contagious, you will find yourself humming in the car on the way to work. Don't expect a somber Les Miz, but more of a light hearted romp in the pool during your high school reunion. Live on the wild side and get it! You won't be sorry.

This CD brings back great memories, i saw the show twice and was there on the night of the recording.One reviewer called the show "Carry on St Trinians the Musical" and that just about sums it up, a saucy, joyous, funny show with an infectious score and a young attractive and very talented cast. It is a shame you don't get to hear all of Sylvia's wickedly accurate impressions (Bette Davis,Katherine Hepburn,to name but two)but the sheer vibrancy of the evening can be gauged by the enthusiastic cast and response of the audience.This show outstrips, Les Miz, Cats , Phantom - the lot, 10 years on I still wish i could book a ticket and see the whole thing live, until then i shall keep playing the CD.

This album is just too funny. I can't help laughing at lines such
as "OBSESSION ISN'T JUST A PERFUME!" and "I know you were SO looking forward to raising a family, but my LEG! EVERYthing!" It's a great album. I love it. And to those four brave critics who stuck with this show as well as Les Miz, way to go and KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

I am a collector of musicals on CD, and like to find unusual items. To say this is unusual is an understatement. Think St Trinians in a school play, and you've got the basic plot. It is a very funny musical, although if just the Moby Dick story was kept and changes made, it could stand as a serious show.

I at first was a little timid to listen to the muscial. I could not see how anyone could take the story of Moby Dick and set it to music. To my suprise they did. From the first song I could tell it was going to be great. I really enjoyed the last song about saving the whale. My only regret is that there is not a video verson of this muscial