Search - Bernard J Taylor, Nic Raine, Philharmonia Orchestra of London :: Wuthering Heights: The Musical

Good treatment of a complex book

Broadway Diva | USA | 12/20/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am a fan of Wuthering Heights (the book) and wasn't sure that a musical could capture it, for one thing, it is so long (the end, with Catherine Linton and Hareton is not included). I think that Bernard Taylor does a wonderful job of sticking to the emotion of the book. It 'feels' right. That said, I do not really like Dave Willetts as Heathcliff. He sounds too soft and too refined. The music, in my opinion, is quite good. I must admit, the first time I listened to the musical, I wasn't fond of it. I put it away for almost a year before I listened to it again, but once I did, I fell in love with it. Wuthering Heights deals with a lot of complex relationships. I think that Bernard Taylor does a pretty good job conveying that. Hindley, Isabella, and Edgar are all scarce, but I think that focusing on Heathcliff and Cathy is the best way to tell the story in the end. I really enjoy this musical. It is 'heavier' than a lot of them, very much Operatic in parts (being an Opera singer, I like that, but not everyone would). The music is good,and the emotions are well conveyed but the storytelling aspect is somewhat lacking. This is, of course, largely (at least I think, I have not seen it performed) because a considerable amount of dialogue and character interaction is missing. Still, very worth listening to. If you like musicals like Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Jekyll and Hyde, you will probably like Wuthering Heights."