Customer Reviews

The Secret Garden

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are good arguments for whether the London recording of this show is worse or better than it's Broadway counterpart. But it all comes down to what works best for you. Because these are two very, very different shows.

The basic plot, music and characters are the same, but the style and tone of the two recordings are polar opposites. Broadway presents us with a much more mature and spiritual look, and a less faithful adaptation. It is more haunting, serious and has a stronger impact when you reach the end. It's a more stirring version, because it dares to take liberties with the book. This helps to create the musical as its own story, more than a copy.

The London version has been changed to be closer to the book. While it still retains parts of the Lily/Archibald story, but it has lost it's prominance. This is a musical version of the book, and doesn't really rise above that at all. It doesn't bring any truly new elements but only partial ones. It's still fantastic music and very well performed, but the powerful identity is lost.

Performance wise, you could make your case either way. Someone who detests Mandy Patinkin would have trouble with Broadway, and Phillip Quast is of course excellent. But Quast is better as Javert, a role where he is forceful. He lacks the innocence and vulnerability that is a part of Archie's character. He is simply too strong for the role. Mary is owned by Daisy Eagen, and while London's Mary is decidedly more British, she simply cannot carry the show the way Eagen did.

And there's no argument that Lily here is simply por. Rebecca Luker gave a stunning performance, where London's Lily sounds about 15 and doesn't work well at all. But her role is decidedly less important, so it's a trade-off as well. Martha in both versions is good, and I don't think you can really complain about either. Broadway's is a little more pleasantly Yorkshire to London's strong Yorkshire. I can go with either, and it's just a matter of personal taste.

Dicken in London sounds a bit forced. He doesn't carry his accent with the same natural level that the Broadway Dicken does. But both are fun and work. Colin is a horrible role, with arguably the worst song in both versions of the show (Round Shouldered Man) and there's no preference to either.

The changes musically just left me wondering why they cut the quartet, Show Me The Key and yet left Round Shouldered Man. The insistance on returning more to the book really made some of the changes questionable. And as for the actal recordings, both sound good except that London sounds a bit muffled and the orchestra too sharp. This is old Yorkshire, the orchestra needs a but of a softness. Neither is a flaw worth noting.

Overall I prefer Broadway, especially because it's a more independant and powerful show. But you can't really go too wrong with either.

The track listing above is for the Original Broadway Recording, not this version. One of the major differences between the 2 versions, besides the different cast and song rewrites, is the track order. Simon & Norman made changes there to tell the story a different way. Here is the actual track listing:

1. Prologue: Journey From India To Yorkshire
2. A Fine White Horse
3. Garden Suite 1
4. A Girl In The Valley
5. The Girl I Mean To Be
6. Winter's On The Wing
7. A Bit Of Earth

8. The Storm
9. Round Shouldered Man
10. Lily's Eyes
11. Race You To The Top Of The Morning
12. Wick
13. Come To My Garden
14. Garden Suite 2
15. A Bit Of Earth (Reprise)
16. Hold On
17. The Letter Song
18. Where In The World
19. How Could I Ever Know
20. Spring Music
21. Come To My Garden (Reprise)

My review of the disc: I am not a fan of the changes made to the original. I like Philip Quast's portrayal of Archie -- he feels more accessible than Patinkin (whom I admire, but in this version Quast moves me more) -- 'Where in the World' is stunning with Quast. Lily is an inappropriate voice here -- perhaps I am too enamored with Rebecca Luker's floating voice -- a belting Lily just feels wrong to me. The song tweaks and re-ordering may make the story more accessible to British audiences, but the reduction of the Dreamers presence moves the story to a different location -- very external rather than hints of internal. I feel this disconnects the characters from their past and makes the emotional pendulum have a shorter swing -- I liked the pace of the move from extremely dark to beautiful life in the original much more. I'm sure some audience members appreciated the giant flock of gardener's all dancing around, but neither the music nor their inclusion added any content to the actual story -- they feel like entertainment value only and if I want that then I'll go see Crazy For You. And Daisy Eagan simply cannot be replaced as the quintessential Mary -- the Mary in this version is entirely adequate and appropriate but is also forgettable...

The story is still timeless and well-told here. Simon and Norman's score is simply astounding in both versions (US and Australia are identical / London is different).

I would love to hear Simon and Norman's reasons for the changes!

I must respectfully disagree with one of the above reviewers and say that this is the best recording of this marvelous show to date.

When Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman brought their musical "The Secret Garden" (which was written and originally premiered in America) to London, they *knew* they had to rework the story. Why? The American version of "The Secret Garden" strayed too far from the book upon which it was based, and in England, the book is considered a national treasure, the way we view, say, Tom Sawyer and the like.

They felt that audiences on the other side of the pond would not appreciate the meddling with the story, so they decided to change their work. This also allowed them to clean up a lot of the overwrought emotionality of the American version (which was something Marsha Norman (book and lyrics) was very keen to do).

They eliminated the ghosts (the play refers to them as "the dreamers" -- ostensibly people who died of cholera in India), which brought the vision of the musical much closer to what Norman and Simon had originally intended (according to an interview with the authors in the London program of the show, the idea of the "dreamers" was a suggestion made by producers in America who were unhappy with the idea of portraying "servants" on stage). However, Mary's parents, Albert and Rose (the lone holdovers from the original set of "dreamers") make an appearance here to sing a song along with Lily.

Some superfluous musical numbers were cut, many songs were expanded, and the song order jockeyed around a bit (i.e., "The Girl I Mean to Be" is now the song Mary sings to the Robin, instead of "Show Me the Key"). In addition to this, several "dance" sequences were put in (the only questionable part of the new production).

Cast-wise, this production has a bit of trouble. The young girl playing Mary is spot-on, and the Colin is very good as well. Philip Quast is much better than Mandy Patinkin as Archie, but the London Lily's voice is too pop. Martha is played superbly by Linzi Hately (her version of "Hold On" is reason enough to buy this soundtrack as it out-trumps any you've probably ever heard), but this Dickon is played with far too much buffoonery to be taken seriously. The ensemble is excellent and the orchestra sounds incredible. The new orchestrations sound much more "English," including hints of a Yorkshire band.

All in all, I'd have to recommend this version instead of the Broadway version. Whereas that one was dark and awash in its own morose sensibilities, this one sweeps along and tells the story much better. Buy it today!

I have the broadway and australian cast recordings of this album.

The london cast recording is different to both; furthermore Quast, who plays Neville Craven in the Australian cast is Archibald Craven in this recording.

My favourite songs from this musical remain: "I Heard Someone Crying" and "The Letter Song/Where in the World". A lot of people have died around me and I can understand the sentiment in these songs.

Unlike the Broadway Cast, "I Heard Someone Crying" is part of the first storm. It gives is more poignancy, furthermore Mary's lines seem more natural....

As for Quast. I am totally unable to decide whether Quast or Warlow played the part of Archibald better. I adore Warlow's voice but Quast has a warmth and depth - and a (probably) deliberate imperfection that Warlow has not.

I have to vote for Quast.

Besides, he is so clear and he doesn't rush "Where in the World".

The only dissappointment is Meredith Braun. She has a lovely voice and it is technically perfect in this recording. However, after having listening to Rebecca Luker and Marina Prior - both very strong, very powerful sopranos - she sounds too weak and too young.

Maybe this is better...after all, everyone in the play is wondering why the hell she married Archibald :-)

Those who own, or have seen the same musical as The Broadway Cast should expect something quite familiar but quite different. This album is definitely "The Secret Garden"....

Buy it!

Almost 10 years after opening on Broadway, THE SECRET GARDEN made its West End debut in a production via the RSC, with a cast headed by LES MISERABLES veteran Philip Quast.

This cast album to the 2001 West End production of THE SECRET GARDEN is a good addition to your collection, though I do prefer the orginal Broadway cast album (which I feel will never be bettered).

Philip Quast's strong voice is suited to the role of Archibald Craven, with Meredith Braun's other-worldly soprano perfect for the ghost of Lily, his dead wife.

Linzi Hateley (DIVORCE ME DARLING, CARRIE) is delightful as Martha, singing the jaunty "A Fine White Horse" (which features different lyrics than on the Broadway album), as well as the anthemic "Hold On" which she belts in her own grand style. Craig Purnell is great as nature-lover Dickon, with several great numbers including "Winter's on the Wing" and "Wick".

As the young Mary Lennox, Natalie Morgan has a sparkling soprano, with a decent vibrato. She sings the clarifying "The Girl I Mean to Be" and "The Letter Song" with all the wonder of childlike innocence. Luke Newberry is wonderful in the role of young Colin Craven, joining Meredith Braun for the lovely ballad "Come to My Garden".

Heavily-revisd for its London premiere, THE SECRET GARDEN was a whole new animal when it crossed the pond. Songwriters Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman re-wrote much of the score, dropped several numbers and re-positioned a few of the numbers.

But, for those who dearly love the original Broadway cast (with Mandy Patinkin, Rebecca Luker, Daisy Eagan and Alison Fraser), this new cast album will do little to change your mind.

I bought this CD because it got a couple of very high ratings but it's really not that good. The arrangements are all new and though I do like some of them for the most part I found this version of the musical to be hollow and soulless. Songs that I really liked in the original are no where to be found. To begin with 'Clusters of Crocus' is completely gone which really disappointed me as I found it a hauntingly beautiful doorway into the world of 'The Secret Garden.' 'The House Upon the Hill' is also missing which is a great shame because I felt it set the stage of Misselthwaite Manor perfectly. 'There's A Man' is gone as well robbing you of a great deal of insight into the characters of Archie, Neville, Lily and Rose. And most of the songs that remain are somehow missing something essential. 'If I Had A Fine White Horse' has lost it's charm, 'Winter's on the Wing' has lost it's wonder, 'Wick' has no magic, and most terrible of all, 'How Could I Ever Know' is devoid of it's ethereal enchantment. As for the performers, I think Daisy Eagan from the original Broadway cast made a far better Mary in regards to acting and singing. And the Lily on this album is a pale shadow of the remarkable performance given by Rebecca Luker in the Broadway version. Alison Fraser and John Cameron Mitchell from the Broadway cast also made a better Martha and Dickon. As I said I did like some of the new arrangements, 'Prologue,' 'Garden Suite 1' and 'The Storm' for example. And I did like some of the performances on this CD, Colin is actually better and Archie is very good though he lacks a bit of Mandy Patinkin's panache. However, the majority of the songs are definitely inferior to what you find on the Original Broadway Cast recording. So, unless you are an absolute 'Secret Garden' diehard don't waste your money on this, get the Broadway version of the musical.

I fell in love with the Original Broadway Cast recording, which I bought first, but I fell all over again as soon as I started listening to the London cast. The songs are somewhat different, but I reveled in those differences! Mr. Quast's singing style as Archie was quite different from Javert, but it made it all that much more enjoyable for me. Excellent, excellent!

Or at least, the songs that feature him.

A Girl in the Valley
A Bit of Earth
Lily's Eyes
Where in the World
How Could I Ever Know?

I just purchased those few songs because I'm a rather big fan of his.
He's got such an amazing voice and my iPod must have everything he's ever sung. No matter how odd the lyrics are, he makes them sound amazing.
This man could very well sing the Alphabet Song and make it sound divine.

I had the privilege of preforming in The Secret Garden in my high school in March of 2008! I must say this is the most amazing musical I have ever been part of! I played Dickon and loved every second of bringing my part to life on stage with the help of such breathtaking songs such as "Wick" and "Winters On The Wing"

Now my school did the Original Broadway Show. Our show was word for word what you would have seen on stage when it first opened on Broadway. It had all the original songs such as "Show Me The Key" and "House On The Hill"

But after hearing the Original Broadway Cast so much during our production it was great to hear a New cast and new things added for this London version of The Secret Garden! So I would have to say I really like this London cast. Yes the Original Broadway Cast is still Amazing But, I know the show so well I enjoy both!

I must say Dickon drives me crazy in the London cast a bit but, only because I had grown up with the Broadway Dickon!

If Dickon's vocal inflections was a steak, it would even be too overdone for my dog to eat. Mary seems to follow suit in her duets with Dickon, but produces well when she is paired up with someone who knows what they're doing. Shame, because "Winter's on the Wing" and "Wick" are my favorite songs from the Broadway cast version. Coincidentally, my least favorite songs on the London version are "Winter's on the Wing" and "Wick."

Everyone else seemed to do a good job though. I didn't play this CD expecting it to be the same (or as good) as Broadway, and it seems to be a decent rendition with enough subtle changes that I ask myself which version I want to listen to each time I go to play it now.