Barnum

I was so glad to find this - I'm a relatively new Michael Crawford fan, and I learned that when A.L. Webber and Cameron MacIntosh first had Mr. Crawford brought to their attention as a possible candidate for the Phantom, they went to see him play PT Barnum and were very impressed with his voice and his physical strength.Even more than the Phantom of the Opera, and among musicals in general, this is truly a virtuoso vehicle for a tremendously talented performer. The energy is intense all the way through, there are "patter" songs that would make me swallow my teeth if I tried to sing along, emotion ranges all over the place - when his beloved wife Charie dies, tears are seen to be flowing down Mr. Barnum's cheeks. For this role Mr. Crawford learned to walk a high wire, juggle, walk on stilts, and do all kinds of acrobatics. I believe he was in his 40's at the time, too! He outdoes all the younger performers and then some (not that they weren't terrific as well!) It was the quickest 90 minutes I've ever experienced - I didn't want it to end, either!I've always had this weird kind of belief - certainty, even - that we are all born to do something very particular with our lives, but that vanishingly few of us ever discover exactly what it is....and then when you see someone like Michael Crawford who very obviously discovered at an early age what he was born to do - be on the stage, entertaining the public - well, it just makes me think that the world would be an amazing, amazing place if we all discovered our place in it the way he has!PT Barnum would be very proud! :-)

Although many viewers may be unfamiliar with this musical from the early 80s about P.T. Barnum, it has lots of memorable and fun tunes (Join the Circus, The Colors of Your Life, etc.) and non-stop action. It is not a movie per se, but a stage show filmed for video. The choreography is great throughout and gives Michael Crawford, who is onstage almost constantly, a chance to show off his astounding physical prowess in learning various circus stunts and tricks like tight-rope walking, acrobatics, juggling and more. He chose to bring more emotion to the story than it had had during its prior Broadway run (he performed the role in London and Manchester, England), and though it is generally a joyful show with lots of laughter and fun, it also addresses the strains on Barnum's marriage and his grief over Charity Barnum's (his wife) death. This has become one of my favorite musicals for the sheer spectacle and Crawford's wonderful stage presence.

I admit to being a huge fans of stage performances -- especially musicals -- that have been preserved on videotape and published on DVD. That said, the DVD of "Barnum" is just about as good as it gets (notwithstanding the amateurish cover art on the DVD box). The cast is as energetic as one is likely to find anywhere, headed by the amazing Michael Crawford in the title role. Crawford provides an ingratiating performance that incorporates acrobatics and tightrope walking while singing, as he interprets P.T. Barnum in a fashion that would have favorably impressed the "prince of humbug" himself. "Barnum" is an impressionistic look at the life of the celebrated entrepreneur, spectacularly entertaining as told in the idiom of a series of circus acts (including a ringmaster who briefly assumes the persona of Barnum's eventual partner James Bailey). A must-see for musical theater enthusiasts (and fans of Michael Crawford).

I think this musical never caught on because it requires everyone in the cast to be at least a juggler or better, a circus performer. This is especially true of the lead character, P. T. Barnum. Michael Crawford is up to the job. He does a knockout performance in the role (must have been born in the circus). The show is a tour de force of his talent. Not only his talent but the talent of the entire cast. The music is great and is well integrated into the action of the show. I forgot to mention that this is a video of the stage play but don't worry, you won't mind a bit.We love broadway musicals and they form a good portion of our DVD collection. (We have nearly 70 musicals.) And this musical gets top marks.

I remember watching this on the BBC the better part of 20 years ago. We wore out the VHS I think! The DVD here is absolutely bare-bones as others have noted, but the production is magical. I probably still watch this monthly, and our one year old loves it (it was no accident that I made sure this was the first thing she ever watched).Michael Crawford is spectacular in the lead, and the music, dancing, and acting are all top-notch.My only, very minor, disappointment with this DVD is that there has been some minor editing since it was broadcast on the BBC. For instance, when Michael Crawford walked the tightrope, he fell off and started again - that is missing here, as is a mildly 'inappropriate' comment he makes about Jenny Lind.Even so, this is about the best $25 I ever spent, and I'm going to keep on loving this for years and years to come.

I've seen this only once and must look at it again to know it better. I got it because I'm a big Michael Crawford fan [no! really??] -- yep. Anyhow, this is the story of Phineas T. Barnum, 19th-century circus creator. Michael actually went to The Circus School in New York to learn how to walk a tightrope and other circus things, so that what you see is real. This is funny, yes; but it also has tragedy. Michael can do both beautifully. I don't know how to describe all this; you just have to watch and be charmed and warmed!