Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh

Hey Mr. Producer is spectacular! It's also addictive. . .I got it from my library, and have watched it at least seven or eight times so far! It really grows on you.

The best performances of the evening are Johnathan Pryce. . . so versatile, and totally slimy in The American Dream. . . Michael Ball. . . my man, always good! In top form in this. . . Lea Salonga. . .what can I say? She just lights up the stage. . . Philip Quast. . . the best Javert. EVER. . . Bernadette Peters . . . looking rather tired, but still riveting. . . and most of all, Dame Judi Dench. Her performance of Send in the Clowns is amazing. I felt like crying after she sang it. She REALLY looks like she felt what she was singing. I never tire of watching her sing it. There are so many other great performances in this video, that I know I'm leaving out several that I'll regret later. Everyone does a great job.

My favorite musical numbers were, Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't?, Unexpected Song, the medley from Miss Saigon (that Lea Salonga, wow), You Could Drive a Person Crazy, You Gotta Picka Pocket or Two, the two songs from Martin Guerre, Losing My Mind (my Mikey, SO good), Send in the Clowns, and Memory (Elain Paige, fabulous!) The best part of the musical though, was the Les Miserables medley. Absolutely wonderful. Though, all of the performance was great (my least favorite part was the long My Fair Lady segment.) Other honorable mention is Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Sondheim's duet. . . a really funny treat!

All musical fans must see this video. Five stars.

I put the DVD into the machine yesterday morning without any idea what it was going to be like. Two hours later (three, actually, cause I kept repeating it) I walked out the room swaying from side to side, laughing cause I was think of the jokes there, and wholeheartedly impressed. It was the greatest show I had ever seen.

This is just one of those things that you JUST CAN'T MISS (that's why I'm forcing my other friends to watch it). Every single performer, from the host Julie Andrews to the singers to the dancers to the sound effect guys was absolutely fantastic. The show was just...absolutely fantastic. Bernadette Peters, Jonathan Pryce, Lea Salonga, Colm Wilkinson and Andrew Lloyd Webber (regarding to his little performance)are one of my many favorites. Greatest concert ever. Just...go and watch it. It' pays off. Seriously.

I brought this show last Christmas and have since watched it a number of times. My particular favourite part is the "Cats" section near the end, and I have spent the past few months trying to identify those members of the cast that were also in the "Cats" video. I now know who at least four or five of them are :-) I also liked some other parts of the video as well, such as "Oliver", but the "Cats" section was my favourite.

Following on the heels of the audio collection of Sir Cameron Mackintosh's 'greatest hits', with the same name and released in the 1980s, this video is a great record of a selection from some of the greatest musical productions from the late 1960s to now from a veritable who's who of West End and Broadway musical stars.

Highlights? Numerous - I'll stick to just a dozen (in the order they appear in the film):

1 I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face - Jonathan Pryce with Liz Robertson; done before Jonathan played Higgins opposite Martine McCutcheon (or at least when she bothered to turn up)

2 Suddenly Seymour - Ellen Greene & Teddy Kempner; no one was a better or more fragile Audrey than this

3 Unexpected Song - Bernadette Peters; Emma's song of love from 'Song and Dance'; a real belter

4 I Love A Lassie - Jimmy Logan as Harry Lauder; sweetly Scots and a nice change of pace

5 Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby? - Five Guys Named Moe Cast; a thrilling version of the Louis Jordan classic

6 How Many Tears? - Maria Friedman; sadly the only decent song in the revamped 'Martin Guerre'

7 Phantom of the Opera segment - Colm Wilkinson, Lisa Vroman, and Michael Ball; interesting to compare with Antonio Banderas as the Phantom in the ALW tribute video

8 Broadway Baby - Julia McKenzie and about everyone else who appeared in a Mackintosh production

9 Send In The Clowns - Judi Dench; truly touching, just as she did it in the National production

10 Losing My Mind - Michael Ball; a girl's song from Follies reinvented beautifully

11 Being Alive - Bernadette Peters; what a voice that lady has!

12 Les Miz segment; although truncated, always nice to see Colm Wilkinson, Philip Quast, Michael Ball, etc., reprising their roles in this fantastic production

Highly recommended. Any chance of a DVD release in the UK?

In the words of Cameron Mackintosh they put together the greatest oray of talent possible. Some of my favourites would include David Campbell(Martin Guerre and Miss Saigon). I thought he did a wonderful job and is a really great singer. I also enjoyed Jonathan Pryce no words can describe him. Micheal Ball, Lea Salonga, Philip Quast, Ruthie Henshall, and many more. All these people made it a wonderful show. With all their singing talents put together made it enjoyable to watch. It also made it interesting to watch from a semi short stage perspective. It was overall a wonderful piece to watch and I continue to watch it to enjoy the music of the musicals and voices of the participating actors. Oh yeah one of the best was Adam Searles. EponineFantine