Barnum!

Barnum's life turned into the greatest show on earth in a live musical performance with the extraordinary Michael Crawford. I saw this show live with Jim Dale and Glenn Close in NY. The show was breath-taking and your jaw will drop watching the video too. The performance is so fast-paced and so complex. I watch in wonder and ask myself how they could perform circus acts on a theater stage and sing wonderfully at the same time. The part of Barnum is so taxing, both physically (a variety of circus acts he takes part in) and mentally (there are several patter songs, a la Gilbert and Sullivan) that one wonders how Crawford or Dale could have performed it live eight times a week. The story is exciting, exuberant, suspenseful, hilarious and bittersweet and every performer is a consummate pro. The staging is masterful. (How do you present Tom Thumb and Jumbo the Elephant together realistically on the modern stage? Watch and find out.) This video would be great to watch with the whole family. Turn off the electric dishwasher and turn "One Brick at a Time" into a "One Dish at a Time" family dishwashing routine, though it may result in some smashed dinnerware unless you are a very coordinated family. Great music, great performances, lots of fun.

I SO LOVE this show!! I was on the edge of my seat watching it, even though it was on tape and DVD at my own home! I felt like I was there, hearing him, seeing him, the laughing the dancing, all of it was just two hours of enchantment. Michael Crawford (better known to the world as the Original Erik in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera") plays the role of P.T. Barnum to perfection!! He really does... at least in my humble opinion. Michael plays the role with gutso, pinache, and of course a voice to knock a person unconscious for hours! He really has a knack for musicals and this displays him having as much fun playing the role, as we do. I must tip my hat to Mr. Crawford! Well done Michael!!! BRAVO!!! BRAVO!!!

The rest of the cast are scrumptious including Eileen Batye as Chairy Barnum, Christina Collier (known for her role as Christine Daae in Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera) as Jenny Lind, and the rest of the cast... I can go on and on!! They really gave 190% that night and I am so pleased to have this on video!! It truly is a treasure!! Perfect for children and adults alike!!

I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who loves musicals or... if you just love Michael Crawford, get this performance!! It IS worth it!!

JOIN THE CIRCUS!!!!

A film of a stage show, which suffers from the static-ness of the camera. This probably works well as a stage show, when the atmosphere sweeps you up, but I found the jokes a bit flat, and that went for much of the show. It wasn't bad - just didn't really suck you in.

Barnum is an amazing circus musical that stars one of Musical Theatre's finest... Michael Crawford!! This life story of Barnum is filled with beautiful songs and great acting. It was filmed right on the London Stage, so it is almost as if you are there. :o) Next to Phantom of the Opera, I would have to say that this is one of Michael's greatest performances (much better than Jim Dale's Barnum)! Some of my favorite songs include: Color's of My Life, I Like Your Style, Museum Song, Out There, The Prince of Humbug, Join the Circus, Thank God I'm Old, etc.

In the early eighties my wife & I lived in Kensington and got tickets for this show for my mum & dad who were also staying with us. We arranged to pick them up after the show, meeting them in a lovely old pub to the left hand side of the theatre. I can't imagine my now being able to drive and park there now. Indeed, the pub has been demolished to make way for a development called Nova Victoria . . . So ugly it was voted the worst new building of 2017 in London.

SO - The story starts now - we were all in the pub with who should walk in but Michael Crawford with some fellow show colleagues. My mum said "I must go and tell him how marvellous he was in the show". I said "hmmm might be a good idea he looked a bit exhausted and may just want a bit of peace & quite" But mum trots over and Michael turns to my mum and I still remember seeing his lovely warm smile and he was so polite. What a generous and kind man he is.