Search - Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, Madeline Kahn :: Anyone Can Whistle - Live at Carnegie Hall (1995 Broadway Concert Cast)

Welcome to the Cookie Jar!

rococoms | Taipei Taiwan | 01/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll admit I bought this album on a leap of faith- as a fan of Bernadette Peters I figured it couldn't be too bad. But that was several months ago- and even today, I have to bribe myself to listen to something else! Anyone Can Whistle was written for the wrong era- as a new show today, I think it might have been a sucess. And this album shows you why. The script is funny, the message is fresh and the performers... well, what can you say. Get Bernadette Peters, Scott Bakula, Angela Lansbury and Madeline Kahn together in the same room and try not to have a incredible experience! ACW does take some getting used to. In typical Sondheim fashion it may not seem altogether pleasant the first time. But listen again. With the full libertto included you can follow along, and maybe not make full sense of it, but certainly enjoy the creatitivty and fun that this evening was. The show boasts a wealth of songs that have gotten away over the years- preserved here. Songs such as "Play Wiz Me" and "There's Always A Woman"(cut from the only existing recording from the original show) will keep you laughing long after they are though. The sheer genius of the 15 minute Act 1 finale will baffle you. But when finished, your only regret will be that you weren't there, and that there isn't a video! All musical lovers should take a leap of faith with this CD and give it a fair run- I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!"

Better than the original cast recording

matteo leoncini | New York NY | 05/13/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"this concert was full of all sorts of glitches live. madeline kahn blew one number and they had to start over. the fountain didn't function. on the whole people seemed under-rehearsed. FORTUNATELY, none of that is really apparent in this recording. peters surpasses the original performance of lee remick and kahn is every bit as succesful as lansbury was as the original mayoress. (although somehow lansbury's turn in manchurian candidate adds a certain creepiness to her power-hungry mayor)."

An issue of personal preference

scifiman5 | San Mateo, Ca United States | 10/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Note: Stephen Sondheim is my hero and Anyone Can Whistle is an early work of his that is, despite what others may say, easily one of his more beautiful and evocative scores. And the lyrics are good as well (perhaps not up there with Sondheim's best, but some of "Me and My Town" and "Simple" are simply great).
When I first bought Anyone Can Whistle about one year ago, I bought the original cast recording. And I was (and still am) extremely happy with that recording. However, my need for some new stuff from Sondheim (even if just different preformances) led me to buy this CD. And this is a really good recording as well. I prefer the original slightly above this one. By far the most appealing part of this recording is Scott Bakula, who is far superior to Harry Guardino in the orginal. Madeline Kahn and Bernadette Peters are both impressive, although I feel that Peters is a little too mature for the role; to be sure, the Nurse is not a juvenile role, but Bernadette comes across as the seasoned Broadway veteran that she is, which I feel to be wrong for the role. Madeline Kahn is very good, perhaps even as good as Lansbury. Overall, an excellent recording, especially if you want more Anyone Can Whistle music. But if you are going to buy your first Anyone Can Whistle recording, buy the original recording. You won't be disappointed."