“there is much to admire in this collection … humour as well as pathos – all given the 5-star treatment from a plethora of talented singers … deliciously funny numbers [and] poignant tracks. These set the tone and standard for the rest of the album. The artists bring the song writing to life and I look forward to more of the same coming in the near future … an absolute delight and I really can’t fault it.”
“Fisher is the renowned writer of some classic musical theatre numbers … and boy this is a great album. I’ve listened to it three times now and love it more each time. My favourite is Peters’ version of ‘All Men Are Bastards’ – a really funny and observant song. I also loved ‘Nothing To Be Done’ … there isn’t a bad song on the album, and each one really justifies multiple listening to fully appreciate both the music and the lyrics which often tell a complex and full story … the production is excellent, with full orchestrations providing a nice rich sound to enjoy. Overall, this is a great album that will make a wonderful addition to anyone’s musical theatre collection and I definitely recommend it.”
“truly wonderful … well put together and flows nicely … excellent orchestral arrangements. ‘At The Crossroads’ is beautifully sung by Beechey – thought provoking and touching to listen to. Peters’ ‘All Men Are Bastards’ is fabulously funny and really allows her to show off her vocals and comedic skills. Everyone is excellent on the album – some real powerhouse voices; with the songs that they have been gifted allowing them to show off their vocal range and for that reason, there are a few several standout stars on the album. Boys belts out ‘Heaven’s Plan’s A Mystery’ … Samuels is exceptional as always … Lynch smashes it out of the park – the emotion she displays is wonderful, and the tone to her voice is like silk. Definitely worth a listen!”
“I’ve always been impressed by Fishers’ work. The talent on [the album] is pretty mind blowing … all just as excellent as you would expect … a great mixture of ballads and more thoughtful songs to balance out what Fisher is perhaps best at – comical and very clever light hearted numbers. ‘At The Crossroads’ is really poignant, and I also enjoyed ‘How Foolish Of Me’. In typical Peters casting, ‘All Men Are Bastards’ is a great number, as is the opening song ‘Alphabet Soup’, both showing Fisher’s skill in word-smithery. I really enjoyed this great mix of songs from the pen of one of our greatest up and coming composers, and another winning release from [Sim G Records,] the UK’s premier label for new and exciting musical theatre talent.” 9/10
“Something for everyone. An exceptional cast take us through this retelling with songs from every genre thrown in for good measure. There is much humour in the piece and it trots along at a good pace. Boys/Bedella/Price/Samuels all flesh out their characters in grand style … special mention to the shepherds (Gillan/Montague/Orton) who add some very welcome comic touches.”
“The storytelling through music is extremely strong … orchestrations are nothing short of sublime – that, paired with the leading West End cast, is a winning formula … creatively strong in all areas … great melodies and catchy bass lines … Boys is a perfect fit, Samuels provides phenomenal vocals, and Bedella is expertly cast as Herod and a talented chorus, who are the glue who pull everything together … I’d love to see a fully staged production of the musical in the near future.”
“This really is a fun recording … some great performances … Boys is always dependable and comes across great here as Gabriel, as does Price as Joseph. Gillan’s Roman Governer is worth getting the recording for on it’s own, and I also enjoyed the mothers … great humour in the score, and I had a good giggle to ‘I Spy’ – very well written. My favourite is without doubt ‘One Day’ – very powerful sound, and great vocals from the company, lead by Boys. A great listen for this time of the year – and a great tonic at the moment!” 8/10
“an interesting retelling with a stellar cast … a good mix of solos, duets and group songs … familiar names Boys & Samuels show everyone just how talented they are … Samuels as Mary steals the show with her exceptional vocals … Gillan plays a wonderfully snivelling sidekick, his ‘Roman Bureaucrat’ is just a delight … a lively and upbeat soundtrack with some exceptional ballads mixed in too!”
” tracks are all beautifully written and conjure up the spirit of the folktales involved … a full Mongolian cast just adds to the authenticity of the recording … [Mongolian instruments] combined with exquisite voices and harmonies – this is one very special album.”
“There’s something other-worldly about the music … the level of detail makes these stories accessible, with absolutely no need to do any ‘homework’ or background reading … an absorbing introduction to Mongolian folklore, whose lessons are remarkably timeless … in the right hands, a full production could prove to be a spectacle.”
“Fisher illustrates wonderfully how he’s not content to sit in his comfort zone, by getting as far away as possible from the subject matter of the wonderful ‘Girl in a Crisis’ … the four tales are expertly woven together … As a concept recording this is extremely well realised. The music is uplifting and engaging and certainly one that will entertain adults just as much as children.” 8/10
“[Mongolian musical culture] shines through every moment, with the vocals quite simply exquisite. They are layered with gorgeous harmonies, which pair beautifully alongside the textured orchestrations. The use of Mongolian instruments is wonderful, and I love how they are used to push the story forward … [the album] definitely has many moments of excellence.”
“[the album] is a wonderful production … the execution is flawless… the story is just the jumping off point for something that is so much more than the sum of its parts … but what makes this shine is the characterisation of Flic. The writing is spot on, genuinely funny and you really start to care for her. This is in no small part down to the wonderful casting of Lorna Want. She can sing, but she also gets under the skin of the character and can act. The comedy wouldn’t work if Want wasn’t funny. And when things go wrong, your heart breaks for her.” 9/10
“Lorna Want’s voice glides through the songs, seemingly effortlessly, an absolute pleasure to listen to throughout … Smatterings of spoken word are included, often to good and punchy dramatic effect. The character development is quite extraordinary, as the listener is taken through an emotional rollercoaster (a pleasurable one at that) … it is difficult to resist with such jaunty music and some witty lyrics … [Girl In A Crisis] is a short and sweet coming of age story, and one that would work well as a full production in a studio theatre.”
“The cast recording proves that the book works very well as a musical due to its relatable nature, especially with Lorna Want at the helm … she brings her consistently great vocals and huge personality to the role. [Want is] sassy, emotional … the blues-y inflection in her vocal tone is stunning in ‘Second Base’ … I’d like to think this production could have a future life. Based on this recording, it definitely deserves one.”
“A Tour de Farce”