Sweet Charity - London Cast Recording

Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields' score to "Sweet Charity," has withstood the test of time with strength and entertainment. Stocked with hits that have continued to be reused on commercials and in infinite numbers of cabaret shows, "Sweet Charity" can effortlessly be cited as a collection of songs with mass appeal. Now Sony's Masterworks Broadway series continues to unlock its vaults with the "Sweet Charity - Original London Cast Recording," the 1967 recording of the show's wonderful music.

Fresh off its Broadway run a year earlier, this recording stars Juliet Prowse as Charity Valentine, the dance-hall hostess who yearns for love as a ticket out of the clubs. Though Neil Simon wrote the book for the show, the plot is confusing and inconsistent, but with Coleman and Fields' great songs, and the classic choreography of Bob Fosse, the show continues to be produced and enjoyed.

The songs are well-known to theatergoers, and laymen alike. "If They Could See Me Now," "Big Spender," "I'm a Brass Band," and "Rhythm of Life" are just four of the hits that anchor the score, and Prowse and the superb orchestra deliver. The band has several opportunities to be featured, not just behind Prowse and her co-stars, but by themselves in the "Overture," and the "Rich Man's Frug."

The male songs provide a small break from the "brassy" female tunes, but songs such as "Too Many Tomorrows," though sung well, don't deter from enjoying "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This," and "Baby, Dream Your Dream," songs of longing for a better life that still resonate in the present day.

There are several other recordings of "Sweet Charity," but Prowse gives an energetic performance, and the orchestra is on fire, making this recording a recommended addition to one's collection.

"Sweet Charity - Original London Cast Recording (1967)"
$11.98
CD and digital formats
www.masterworksbroadway.com