The Secret Garden

This post is going to be about the children's book-turned- musical The Secret Garden. I found this musical to be amazing, scary, and emotionally haunting at the same time. Mandy Patinkin as a man haunted by the past, and Rebecca Luker as a ghost watching over the proceedings are both magical. I really like Daisy Egan and John Cameron Mitchell a lot as well. The show really emphasizes the connection between the past and present, and between humans and nature. It's such a wonderful score and story and I hope one to be able to produce a production of the show.

I'm not quite sure what exactly are the reasons I am attracted to the show, as I had never actually read the book until this past year, and I might have seen the movie remake when I was 7, but I don't remember much from it and I may be confusing it with A Little Princess, also based on a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I think what I like about the show is the connection to family, both past and present, and the idea of benevolent ghosts watching over you and communicating with you. I also like the theme of nature being beautiful and magical and being able to rejuvenate and bring life to the barren and forlorn. The Yorkshire dialect adds another layer of fascination with this show, and the performances of the original Broadway cast bring the material to life superbly. This show is alternately haunting and uplifting, and I highly recommend it.