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

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.

I loved this - almost all of the stars gave some of their best performances. Jonathan Pryce was great in both his roles, David Campbell, Hugh Jackman and Philip Quast did Australia proud (I have met Philip - he's as wonderful a person as he is an actor), Sonia Swaby was perfect as Nancy, and Elaine Paige gave Grizabella all she had and was great also. Some were a little dissapointing...Liz Robertson didn't quite make the standard as Eliza that Julie Andrews set, and Bernadette Peters wasn't as good as she normally is, she sounded really tired. I liked You've Gotta Have A Gimmick, and Poisoning Pigions in the Park, as well as the sections from CATS, Little shop of Horrors, the Phantom, Oliver and Les Mis - although they cut so much out of the songs by that stage that there literally were only half of them left. But, despite this, it was fantastic. I could watch this all day, it was so good.

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.

June 1998 at The Lyceum Theatre, London. Somehow, over 200 actors and dancers and singers all crammed into this theatre for an evening of unforgettable entertainment. (In fact, 2 performances were given – 7 and 8 June, the second one being the Royal gala charity that was filmed.) Over nearly three hours we are guided through highlights of 26 shows produced by one man over 30 years or so. Cameron Mackintosh. Many of the original casts reprise their roles, and many more stars are on hand to add to the glitter. There are some fairly rare appearances, too. Millicent Martin, David Kernan and Julie Mackenzie do a bit from 'Side by Side by Sondheim' and Tom Lehrer sings a song of his that was used in 'TomFoolery.' Dame Judi Dench sings an unforgettable 'Send in the Clowns' and Andrew Lloyd Webber and Stephen Sondheim do a duet (!) And …. one could go on all night! The list of shows and cast would do justice to a dictionary of musical theatre. It is a splendid tribute to the indefatigable talent of 'Mr. Producer' Mackintosh. I think there are two items cut from the DVD. The opening medley number of Act 2 and one of the Tom Lehrer numbers. But no matter, this is without doubt a stunning achievement by all concerned.

'The best bits' will clearly depend on your own likes and dislikes. For me, the Sondheim numbers were the highlight. The man's a genius. It should be mentioned that nearly all the numbers are fully staged and costumed. (The logistics of this are mind-numbing!) They are not just a gaggle of stars in evening dress. The big 'production numbers' are spectacular – especially 'Cats' and the final piece from 'Les Miserables'. If you have any love or interest at all in musical theatre, this DVD is a 'must'. There is no on-screen info about the numbers coming up or the artists performing them. I feel this is something that could easily have been remedied. However, a listing can be found in the archive section of Albermarle of London website. (www.albermarle-london.com)

"Hey, Mr. Producer" is the most wonderful thing out there right now for fans of Broadway and the West End who can't quite make it to the theatre. What a roster: Julie Andrews, Bernadette Peters, Michael Ball, Dame Judi Dench, Ruthie Henshall, Lea Salonga, Jonathon Pryce... it goes on and on!

The best parts, though, include: The reunion of Dames Millicent Martin and Julia McKenzie, and David Kernan for "Side by Side by Sondheim" (their performances are especially engaging in this title song, "You Can Drive a Person Crazy", and "You Gotta Have a Gimmick"); Ellen Green's brilliant performance in the forever-hers role of Audrey in "Little Shop of Horrors" singing "Somewhere that's Green"; The Les Miserables section in which the finishing "One Day More" song is a breathtaking effect on the film--I can just imagine how moving this was live!; Julie Andrews' entrance in the "My Fair Lady" montage---" I washed my face and hands before I came, i did."; and the sequence of "Miss Saigon", one of the most brilliant musicals ever written and perfectly recreated here with Lea Salonga returning to her lead role. This Cameron Mackintosh fest is a joy to treasure for years to come--i love watching my copy--i could watch it every day! And it's perfect to finish off with Stephen Sondheim's marking piece "Old Friends"---"But us, old friends, what's to discuss, old friends..... Who's Like us? DAMN FEW!!!!"