Search - Cole Porter :: Anything Goes

Two cast albums for less than the price of one!

Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 07/10/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This great CD from budget label Prism Leisure features two different cast recordings of Cole Porter's ANYTHING GOES; the 1934 original Broadway cast, and the subsequent 1938 London production.



Of the recordings featuring original Broadway star Ethel Merman as the sassy chanteuse-turned evangelist Reno Sweeney, her galvanising "I Get a Kick Out of You" and "Blow Gabriel Blow" remain definitive. ANYTHING GOES opened on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in 1934, with William Gaxton (as Billy Crocker), Bettina Hall (Hope Harcourt) and Victor Moore ('Public Enemy 13' Moonface Martin) leading the principal cast. In her first big starring role (following a breakout performance in "Girl Crazy"), Ethel Merman cemented her position as the premiere female star of Broadway. For this selection of archival recordings of the period, Jay Blackton conducts the orchestra with support from The Foursome. Additional tracks feature Frances Langford and Bert Lahr.



The selection of recordings featuring the 1938 London cast are very enjoyable too, headed by the renowned Parisian performer Jeanne Aubert as Reno. Jack Whiting (as Billy Crocker) and Sydney Howard (Moonface Martin) are also very fine. With her French accent, it's quite amazing to hear Jeanne Aubert negotiate her way through the brittle lyrics of "I Get a Kick Out of You", "You're the Top" and "Blow Gabriel Blow", in short her presence on disc is simply delightful.



If you haven't got these two versions of ANYTHING GOES in your cast album collection, this disc is a smart purchase."