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 enlarge | Artists: Stephen Sondheim, Imelda Staunton, Julia Mckenzie
Label: RCA Victor Broadway
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy Used: $3.75
You Save: $10.23 (73%)
New (32) Used (16) Collectible (1) from $3.75
Avg. Customer Rating:  41 reviews
Sales Rank: 135224
Format: Cast Recording
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 60752
UPC: 090266075225
EAN: 0090266075225
ASIN: B000003F41
Release Date: May 28, 1991
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: CD and case in good condition, ships next day Lot ZC
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| Customer Reviews:
 A close second . . . April 29, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
First things first - this recording does not approach the practically perfect Original Broadway Cast recording. However, it does come pretty close, especially when compared to the recent Broadway revival. James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim's retelling of fairy tales is a morality tale for modern times; as the booklet pictures show, this was a much darker production than it's Broadway counterpart, which is reflected in the performances on the recording. Personally, I like this approach as it makes the London cast recording different enough to be worth buying!
It goes without saying that the words and music of Stephen Sondheim are perfection. Though the show does become slightly 'ballad heavy' towards the end, this slowing of the pace allows for emotional reflection on the evenings frantic events for the large cast of principles, including Cinderella and her ugly sisters, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack (of 'beanstalk' fame) and Rapunzel as well as an un-heroic, but human, Baker and the traditional witch.
The cast are all top notch. Being British, I don't have a problem with the accents - in fact because my parents read many of the original fairy stories to me, it sounds more natural with the English voices, but that's just a personal preference. Julia Mackenzie is a powerhouse, from the shrill (almost pantomime) witch at the beginning, to the bitter, rueful character of the finale. In a standout performance, Imelda Staunton makes the Baker's Wife both humourous and strong, which makes her final fate heartbreaking. Jacqueline Dankworth, Ian Bartholomew and Richard Dempsey are also worthy of mention, while Nicholas Parsons is a competent (though slightly tuneless) narrator. The orchestrations are wonderfully effective and the orchestra, whilst not supplemented, sounds full. I personally prefer the slightly different takes on the tempi that give the songs a bit more life.
Overall, this is probably the best acted recording of the three available, but can't match the Broadway cast for sheer energy and sparkle. However, the different atmosphere and the wonderful performances make this an interesting alternative for the curious...
Percussive and Acted to the Hilt April 11, 2005
This is a strong and spirited version. The percussive parts of the score pop. The roles fit rather well into the mouths of these English performers. It is, on the whole, less lyrical and less humourous than the Broadway original. A gem of a performance is turned in by Clive Carter as the Wolf -- mature and creepy. I found some of the tempi rushed.
 Whoa Man! February 10, 2005
2 out of 9 found this review helpful
Okay so Into The Woods is one of my favorite musicals, and so I thought it would be interesting to hear it in a different cultural... Let me tell you was I surprised! I LOVE everything British, I'll admit to being an American who would like nothing more then to move to London and never look back, but this was horried. The British Accents just dont work for these characters, and how heavy they are throughout the songs is distracting at the least. Definately buy the Original Broadway Cast!
 Children shouldn't listen September 7, 2004
Why the producer of this recording (or production for that matter) isn't in jail, I don't know because this show has been murdered in this CD. I'm extremely glad I didn't buy it. I heard this CD at my High School because it came with the scripts for the show. Ok lets start at the begining. The opening of this show is the number that gets a person so excited to see what happens as all these characters intertwine. I find it hard to like a show when I hate the characters from the begining. Don't get me wrong the show is a masterpiece, but what makes it so terrible is that the characters are overly dramatic. I WANT TO LISTEN TO A MUSICAL NOT A RECORDED SOAP OPERA! The witch just sounds stupid because she over ennunciates. Red is (like so many have said) just shrill and has a piercing voice. And staple characters like the narrator and the Bakers wife often go flat. Moving on. The addition of Our Little World is just fine and dandy, but Rapunzel is so operatic that some of her emotions are lost. Listen to the American revival cast, it captures the comedy far better. Once the witch has transformed we are all suprised, because she sounds no different, and even more suprising is still old just less haggard. And the destruction of Last Midnight is just unbearable. Since Fairytales are timeless, and virtually have no specific setting, it seems fitting to use the common area accent. Sadly the british sometimes gets in the way. I applaud their choice, just I can't truthfully say I enjoyed it. Does this recording have much to offer? No. But the pamphlet that comes with the CD does show that their sets were no less than absolutely amazing. I totally reccomend either of the American casts to this one.
Excellent recording! January 17, 2004
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is an excellent recording of my favorite Broadway show (and that's saying a lot!!). I have this version on CD and the Original Broadway Cast on DVD, and it's a toss which is better. I actually prefer the Witch on this recording to Bernadette Peters (sacrilege, I know!), and Little Red on this version is far superior. (The OBC Red is shrill and not very good at all.) No one can compare to Joanne Gleason as the Baker's Wife, which is why she won a Tony for it, but this one is excellent as well. The only thing that's a little strange on here is that sometimes the cast has an American accent and sometimes British. Hmm...
You can't go wrong with either of these recordings. Highly recommended!
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