Search - Charles Strouse, Lee Adams, Chita Rivera :: Bye Bye Birdie (1961 London Cast)

A very welcome re-issue

Roger Rebec | Manchester, UK | 10/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In terms of content, this album is identical to the Broadway recording (apart from that recording's bonus tracks which aren't enought to tip the balance). Chita Rivera gives a definitive performance as Rosie in both recordings but is even better in the London recording. Peter Marshall sings better than Dick Van Dyke although as Van Dyke has a touch more personality, it is a close run thing. Susan Watson on the Broadway recording outsings Sylvia Tysack on the London but Tysack is the more convincing teenager. Broadway's Paul Lynde reigns supreme as Harry Mcafee but London's Robert Nichols isn't far behind. Marty Wilde as Birdie is a definite improvement on Broadway's Dick Gautier and "Honestly Sincere" and "One Last Kiss", the two rock 'n roll parodies, come off much better in his hands. He's helped in this because Alyn Ainsworth and his orchestra are also more in tune with this particular misical idiom than their Broadway counterparts. Up to this point, it's a very close run thing as to which is the better album. The deciding factor for me is the quality of the London recording which let's through much more orchestral detail than the Broadway. There isn't a huge amont of difference between the Broadway and London recordings. If you are about to buy your first "Birdie" recording, go for the London. If you have the Broadway and want another, again get the London. In any event, it is important to have a recording that features Chita Rivera as Rose. The TV soundtrack album has extra songs but Vanessa Williams is not Chita Rivera and most of the new material isn't as good as the original score. So it's a very big welcome back for the London recording."

Save your money, buy the Broadway Cast recording

R. Bigelow | St. Petersburg, FL United States | 09/13/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The only thing on the London recording that approaches the Broadway Cast album is Chita Rivera's performance as Rosie, which is also ON the Broadway version. Peter Marshall makes the character of Albert Peterson sound like a Jerry Lewis creation and Sylvia Tysick as Kim DOES sound like a teenager- one who can't sing. The kids on this album generally are awful. They screech instead of sing and many of them have pronounced accents. A lot of the singing is out of tune and the orchestra hits clams frequently. This album was recorded in an era where British versions of American musicals were frequently inferior vocally to their U.S. counterparts. Thankfully, that has changed. London has proven to be a haven for many discarded American musicals that deserve revivals here, but for financial reasons will probably never see the light of day. Perhaps someone in England will revive "Birdie" and produce a recording that does this underrated show true justice."

A fine recording

Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 03/11/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This reissue of the London cast of BYE BYE BIRDIE is most welcome to any cast-album collector. Though I do prefer the Broadway cast (available on the Sony Broadway Masterworks label), the cast here is quite excellent.Chita Rivera reprises her role of Rose Grant; partnering her as Albert Peterson is Peter Marshall. Rivera's performance is a tad more polished on this recording, and the arrangements are paced a little more slowly here. When Rivera left the Broadway company she was replaced by Gretchen Wyler.However, those people who have criticised Susan Watson's performance as Kim on the Broadway recording should reserve their judgement for this Kim - namely Sylvia Tysick. Tysick has a terribly-thin upper register and really struggles with most of her material. Getting back to Susan Watson...she sounds so much better on the revival cast-album of NO, NO, NANETTE (available on the Sony Broadway Masterworks label) that her lack of vocal finesse in BIRDIE can be attributed to her young age.The rest of the cast are fantatic, with Angela Baddeley (Mrs Bridges in "Upstairs Downstairs") as Mae Peterson, and Marty Wilde as Conrad Birdie himself.Highly-recommended. (Decca Broadway)"