The Enid Blyton Society

Tony Summerfield wrote:I don't think there is a CD either, as a record was released (and cassette) before Evita was even staged - Eva Peron was sung by Julie Covington on the record.

I have just realised that there is a CD of Elaine Paige and Co, as I have got it!

Tony Summerfield wrote:Yes, but he is also an actor, Chrissie, as he has been in a number of West End Musicals, including incidentally, the version of War of the Worlds that I have just seen, about which I posted above. He was also in the original cast of this in the 1970s.

Thank you, Tony.
I'll have to look him up online, didn't know he's still active in his profession.

Tony Summerfield wrote:I actually saw Evita in London with the original cast (Elaine Paige and David Essex), and there certainly isn't a DVD of it, it is only much more recently that stage productions of musicals in the UK have been released on DVD (From Here to Eternity, Billy Elliot, Gypsy and Miss Saigon), DVDs weren't even around in the 1970s and nothing of this nature was released on VHS.

I don't think there is a CD either, as a record was released (and cassette) before Evita was even staged - Eva Peron was sung by Julie Covington on the record.

That was what I thought. I wondered if maybe a film or video had been made of the original cast, but I've never heard of one, as you say. I know that the 'original cast' recording was the concept album with Julie Covington, but wasn't sure if there was an Elaine Paige version recorded later.

I see you have since replied and there is one! I was sure I'd seen it in the past As for a DVD though - as we said earlier - there isn't one.

Tony Summerfield wrote:I actually saw Evita in London with the original cast (Elaine Paige and David Essex), and there certainly isn't a DVD of it, it is only much more recently that stage productions of musicals in the UK have been released on DVD (From Here to Eternity, Billy Elliot, Gypsy and Miss Saigon), DVDs weren't even around in the 1970s and nothing of this nature was released on VHS.

You were lucky to see Evita with the original cast, Tony. I wish the show had been filmed!

In 2011 I saw the musical All the Fun of the Fair, the plot of which incorporated songs by David Essex. It was a reasonably good story for a "jukebox musical" - and David Essex himself played the owner of the fair.

Tony Summerfield wrote:

Tony Summerfield wrote:I don't think there is a CD either, as a record was released (and cassette) before Evita was even staged - Eva Peron was sung by Julie Covington on the record.

I have just realised that there is a CD of Elaine Paige and Co, as I have got it!

I had the privilege of seeing David Essex in 'Aspects of Love' at the Birmingham Hippodrome a few years ago - one of my favourite Andrew Lloyd-Webber musicals and much under-rated I thought. David Essex is a great actor - very sincere.

Rob Houghton wrote: Unfortunately not! Is there a DVD of this cast? I can imagine a CD but would be surprised that it was ever filmed and put on DVD.

I don't have the CD either.

No worries Rob, I knew it was a very, very long shot .

No official release DVD was made of Evita, in fact I believe the only ALW musical to have an official release recording is Cats from 1998 (which I've got), none of the others have been. However, if you do some digging you can find musical fans who trade shows that have been unofficially filmed by someone at the actual show and get hold of copies that way. I assumed that's what your collection was, bootlegs copied on blank disks not actual released ones like you buy from a shop, hence me thinking you might have some rarities. I have got hold of some, like Chess, but I haven't managed to find an original version of Evita. I've got the audio for the show but it isn't quite the same as being able to watch the show itself .

I'm sure there have been more 'officially released' Andrew Lloydd Webber shows - I myself have Cats, and Joseph and Jesus Christ Super Star on DVD or video.

Are they not film adaptions of the original shows though as opposed to copies of the shows themselves directly off the stage? Still officially released but not a copy of the actual production from its original run.

Ah yes - they might be. I think the Phantom of the Opera was a concert version - a while since I saw it - but i think 'Love Never Dies' is the stage version filmed.

Concert versions are generally easier to find than the show itself, maybe because they were officially filmed . Their definitely not the same thing though, I've got Chess in concert and Chess the show on stage and their both a totally different viewing experience, you don't get the acting with the concert version, good as it is, but on the other hand there's bits that are in the concert omitted from the show and vice versa so I suppose it's nice to have them both to compare .

Tony Summerfield wrote: I haven't seen the DVD, but I did see War of the Worlds 'live' at the Dominion Theatre in London earlier this year with Jeff Wayne conducting two orchestras and a star group of actors, with a hologram of Liam Neeson doing the commentary originally done by Richard Burton. It was very good.

Like you Tony, my Mum went see War of the Worlds live & said it was brilliant. I missed out, but got the DVD as a consolation!

Rob Houghton wrote:I think the Phantom of the Opera was a concert version - a while since I saw it - but i think 'Love Never Dies' is the stage version filmed.

Yes, I've got Love Never Dies as a filmed stage version. It was filmed in Australia in 2011, at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, and it stars Anna O'Bryne as Christine and Ben Lewis as the Phantom. It's gloriously lavish and creepy and I love the songs. I'd like to see Love Never Dies on stage one of these days. It was on at the Adelphi Theatre in London in 2010-11 but it got mixed reviews (one critic referred to it as Paint Never Dries!) and Andrew Lloyd Webber made a number of changes for the Melbourne production.

The version of phantom of the Opera I have is the 25th anniversary staging at the Royal Albert hall - a fully staged version.

Ah yes - I've got that too but couldn't remember off-hand if it was fully staged. A truly brilliant show!

I admit I had to look at the cover to see if it was fully staged - and yes, it was - a 'special production' just for the 25th anniversary.

I think Miss Saigon was also recently filmed live on stage and is now out on DVD.