I am a Rodger's "enthusiast," as Ted Chapin of R&H once characterized me, and I agree there are certain ways to perform his music--generally, exactly as he wrote it, since that was his general direction. But this version of CINDERELLA, which I admit has some faults in the musical arrangements, is as good a CINDERELLA as one can hope for.
For starters, the fantasy element allows for the non-traditional casting, which works quite well for me. I'm perfectly happy with every major character, but especially so with Whoopi as the Queen and Bernadette as the Step-mother. I'm also fond of Whitney's Fairy Godmother (much more so than Celeste Holm in the 1965 version).
Okay, so they tried to R&B some of the numbers--this version was aimed as bringing more young people in the R&H fold--and if it interests more young people in the art of the American musical, then it has done its job (please don't get me started on the animated version of KING AND I, which is an abomination in my opinion). I find much of the script very funny, and I enjoy the step-sisters, who are in comical vein Hammerstein intended (for the poster who thought Bernadette played too young as the Step-mother, take a second look at Pat Carroll and Barbara Ruick as the step-sisters in 1965--as much as I adored those performances, too, can you say "OLD MAIDS.")
All in all, put the previous versions out of your mind--and open that same mind up to this new, modern interpretation (if not, you may never be able to enjoy the new FLOWER DRUM SONG, which I haven't seen, but for which I am anxious.)
For starters, the fantasy element allows for the non-traditional casting, which works quite well for me. I'm perfectly happy with every major character, but especially so with Whoopi as the Queen and Bernadette as the Step-mother. I'm also fond of Whitney's Fairy Godmother (much more so than Celeste Holm in the 1965 version).
Okay, so they tried to R&B some of the numbers--this version was aimed as bringing more young people in the R&H fold--and if it interests more young people in the art of the American musical, then it has done its job (please don't get me started on the animated version of KING AND I, which is an abomination in my opinion). I find much of the script very funny, and I enjoy the step-sisters, who are in comical vein Hammerstein intended (for the poster who thought Bernadette played too young as the Step-mother, take a second look at Pat Carroll and Barbara Ruick as the step-sisters in 1965--as much as I adored those performances, too, can you say "OLD MAIDS.")
All in all, put the previous versions out of your mind--and open that same mind up to this new, modern interpretation (if not, you may never be able to enjoy the new FLOWER DRUM SONG, which I haven't seen, but for which I am anxious.)