Flowers_For_Mrs_Harris_CD

FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS

Chichester Cast Recording

Chichester Festival Theatre cast recording of the hugely acclaimed musical

Flowers For Mrs Harris,

with a book by

Rachel Wagstaff,

music and lyrics by

Richard Taylor,

based on the novel by

Paul Gallico.



Flowers For Mrs Harris

is the story of Ada Harris, a char-lady in post-war London whose drab life of dusting and scrubbing is transformed when she glimpses a Christian Dior dress in one of her client’s wardrobes and sets her heart on going to Paris to buy one for herself.



The 2018 Chichester Festival production was directed by

Daniel Evans,

with a cast led by

Clare Burt

(who won a UK Theatre Award for her performance),

Joanna Riding

and

Gary Wilmot,

alongside

Claire Machin, Louis Maskell, Mark Meadows, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Nicola Sloane, Luke Latchman

and

Rhona McGregor.



In July 2020, during the global Covid pandemic, the entire cast and orchestra from the 2018 production safely reunited, on the Chichester Festival Theatre stage, to record the album. This highly anticipated two-disc cast recording, with orchestrations by

Richard Taylor,

conducted by

Tom Brady

and mixed by

Mike Walker,

comes complete with a full colour 16 page booklet, including production photographs and synopsis.

✭✭✭✭✭"One of the most heartwarming British musicals"

Guardian



✭✭✭✭✭"Enchanting"

Sunday Express



✭✭✭✭"Dazzling"

Sunday Times



✭✭✭✭"Remarkable and extremely moving"

Evening Standard



✭✭✭✭"You will laugh, you may cry, you may even gasp"

Times


TRACK LISTING

    ACT ONE



  1. All I Ever Needed
  2. Lady Dant
  3. There Is More To Life
  4. Clients #1 (Look At Me)
  5. Something To Come Home To
  6. Rain On Me
  7. Clients #2
  8. The Pools Win
  9. Mrs Harris Does A Budget
  10. Clients #3
  11. The Pound Devalues
  12. Albert’s Watch
  13. End Of Act One

    ACT TWO



  1. 30, Avenue Montaigne
  2. The Dress-Showing
  3. She Kissed Me!
  4. The Girl In The Magazine
  5. Dressmaking
  6. Customs (A Fib, Not A Lie)
  7. Returning Home/Visiting Pamela
  8. 5, Willis Gardens
  9. Flowers (Something For You)
  10. The Garden Of Eden

Released 3rd December 2020 - Catalogue No: SimGR-CD038

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LISTEN NOW... to a selection of tracks from the album
REVIEWS...

"A gorgeous piece by Taylor & Wagstaff … truly ‘through-composed’ in that the narratives are an integrated entity of words, music, and feelings … Taylor’s orchestrations achieve an agility and effulgence in the manner of Strauss … Clare Burt gives the kind of performance so big of heart that when the ‘pay it forward’ apotheosis finally arrives everybody in the audience wants it for her personally … a super-accomplished piece of music theatre … wonderful souvenir of the Chichester production."

Edward Seckerson, Gramophone



"Richard Taylor’s chic musical … a delightfully nostalgic piece … all credit to the actors and musicians."

Sunday Times



10/10 "This recording is as stunning as the show it represents … the warmth and sincerity that the score gives was very much needed … the score is very transient from song to speech - and it works absolutely beautifully [on record] … the performances from Burt, Riding, Pitt-Pulford and Meadows are the things that awards are made of. Indeed, the whole company is just perfect - harmonies lift many of the numbers, and sound terrific on this well-produced recording … but the kudos for all of this must go to Richard Taylor, who was also responsible for the outstanding orchestration. It’s thanks to him that this cast recording has been made, and thankful we should be."

Ian Gude, Review Graveyard



✭✭✭✭✭"A wonderful album that will be in many collections by the end of the year … a marvellous cast."

Nick Wakeham, Muscial Theatre Review



"[Flowers] has been lovingly captured along with being masterfully engineered by Mike Walker … easy to see why Clare Burt won a UK Theatre Award for her performance - she is just joyous. Her rich vocal tone matches Taylor's luscious orchestrations … close your eyes and soak in its deliciousness … Maskell & Pitt-Pulford have flawless vocals of which I could listen to all day … the storytelling conveyed is sublime … a charming musical with a huge heart and one of the best translations to an album I've had the pleasure of listening to."

Jenny Ell, BroadwayWorldUK



✭✭✭✭✭"The intimacy and emotional connection of the show is captured so beautifully … the introspective nature of the score is one of its biggest assets. It allows you so far into the depths of the character’s souls’, exploring stillness one second then euphoric explosion the next … Taylor’s instrumentation and orchestrations are exceptionally ... Mike Walker has engineered the sound sublimely ... expertly produced - a glorious bouquet of original British musical theatre."

Duncan Burt, West End Best Friend



✭✭✭✭"poignant and heart-warming … harmonies in the ensemble numbers are a delight, giving much texture and nuance to the songs … this cast recording is very timely - friendships and good health are of paramount importance."

Chris Omaweng, LondonTheatre1






FFMH