Elaine Paige VS Patti LuPone

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 2:26pm

What I can't understand is this:

Patti LuPone is constantly making so much noise about her difficult time in EVITA etc etc etc

Why don't we hear Elaine Paige talking about how difficult the role was/is for any actress? Why was her journey so easy?

I don't understand this; surely Patti is the stronger performer and actress

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 2:31pm

"Why don't we hear Elaine Paige talking about how difficult the role was/is for any actress?"

Wasn't Paige in a relationship with Time Rice at the time, and for years after?

Posted: 8/25/10 at 2:50pm

yes she was!

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 2:51pm

"surely Patti is the stronger performer and actress"
sez who?

Maybe Paige doesn't like the sound of her own voice as much.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 2:57pm

All I can say is that on the recording it sounded like Elaine Paige didn't go full-out and was saving her voice.

[abitoftap]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 2:59pm

EP has never really bothered much with the acting bit...

[philly03]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 3:00pm

"I don't understand this; surely Patti is the stronger performer and actress"

Since when? Elaine and Patti are both legends. She just hasn't had all the opportunities over here as Patti has had over there.

Paige put a lot of effort into Eva and really enjoyed doing it. She seems much more humble about the role than Patti ever did to boot. She had a interview/special on her around the time of her in SUNSET BLVD and she went to Buenos Aires and talked about all the research she did on the role, etc etc. Also I'm sure it helped with the Tim Rice relationship. But I've always got the vibe that she loves what she does (she even produced Anything Goes over there after seeing Patti in it in NY for Elaine herself to star in it) and doesn't complain about it.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 3:12pm

Patti always says that the difficulty was that she didn't know how to sing the part, from a technical standpoint. Maybe Elaine Paige did.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 3:22pm

This thread wasn't what I'd hoped it would be from the title.

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 4:16pm

Elaine Paige knew how to sing it. Patti says she didn't really know how until she was doing it in Australia, and with someone's help there, she was able to get it.
Paige did on occasion lose her voice during performing and standbys and alternates had to go on. One of my favorite Evita stories, told by one of the West End Evas, was the time that they went through three actresses in the role in one night. I think I have that bookmarked on my other computer, I'll have to try and find that.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 4:20pm

I've read that story, too! Michelle Breeze, one of the understudies in the Original London Cast told the story:

"Susannah [Fellows] and I were both understudies on one occasion as flu swept the cast and Elaine began the show up till "Goodnight and Thank You" when her voice went completely. Susannah was quickly prepared and took over for the "Charity Concert" and her voice went after "Don't Cry For Me" and I took over for "High Flying Adored" and finished the show off playing it for the next week!!! I believe this may have been a unique event during the history of the production. No one asked for a refund and a wonderful letter appeared in the papers shortly afterwards saying they were thrilled to have seen three Evita's for the price of one!"

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 4:26pm

YES! That's the one!

[philitalia]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 4:39pm

Elaine is a first class act and behaves very professionally.

I don't want to offend Patti fans (I've seen some wonderful performances of her), but Patti has always something to complain about. In interviews she often, well ... just complains. Even years later. She's a whiner.
Updated On: 8/25/10 at 04:39 PM

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 5:19pm

I know actors and actresses who do the same damn thing...hell, I still do it. Get me started on some of the stuff I've done at college and you can't shut me up for months!

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 5:20pm

Elaine is an old-school performer - pure gold.

From a technical standpoint, she could sing the role much better than LuPone.

She also seems to be a nicer, more humble person...

Who your favourite is is a different matter though.

WEIRD IMAGE OF THE DAY: Patti LuPone as Grizabella.

[aliceripleystheshiz]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 5:23pm

Patti had..."Very weak stage managment". She says in her DOWNSTAGE CENTER interveiw that she would hurt herself singing the score. She had dancers dance half a show and leave, and get a full pay check. Also, casting people asw her only in that role for quite a while.

[My Oh My]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 6:27pm

I believe Patti when she says she had serious problems singing that score. I say that because I've read comments in the past from people who doubt her and assume she's just bitter over the Sunset thing.

She sounds good on the cast recording but I don't think I've ever come across a boot where she sounds terribly strained by the second act. It's evident even on that "Rainbow High" video up on YouTube--she just barely manages to hit the third "rainbow high" right before "...in magical colors!" In fact, she obviously strains on most every high note and sometimes tries to avoid them altogether.

She's still my favorite Eva though. Comes to show just how good she was in the role that one could overlook that.

Updated On: 8/25/10 at 06:27 PM

[nealb1]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 6:50pm

Patti's book comes out in a few weeks. So, I'm sure it will be filled with all stuff "Evita."

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/25/10 at 6:54pm

Two chapters' worth, even.

[bryan2]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 1:49pm

Elaine has the more beautiful voice and I love her in Sunset but as Evita Patti rules with her grittiness and volumn in her voice..Just like in Cats I think Betty is better than Elaine because her Memory is too sweet...not desperate..
Betty and Patti can do deperate in there vocals like no one else

[wexy]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 2:29pm

I need a break, at first glance I read Ellen Page vs Patti LuPone.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:00pm

In LuPone's defense, EVITA is a very demanding score. As the lead she's in (almost) every scene as well as sings in most of the songs. I love her "Eva". I was thirteen when I got the recording in 1982 and on some songs she sounded so rushed as if she were in a race to catch up to the orchestra's tempo that the end result upon first listen was somewhat unintelligible.

I had to literally sit down with the lyrics and read them as I listened to the recording because I couldn't understand half of what she was singing and this was just a recording. Imagine having to tackle that score on a nightly basis!


Updated On: 8/26/10 at 05:00 PM

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:09pm

I pity anyone who has to...

...actually, I don't, because you get to sing one of the greatest scores ever written...

[bryan2]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 5:14pm

If the score was fast or slow Patti always garbles the words and rushes the song...it is one reason she is so good in Evita she sounds manic

[My Oh My]

Posted: 8/26/10 at 8:30pm

So she has trouble pronouncing words clearly when she has to speak or sing fast. I've never had a problem understanding her. Whether it's a speech impediment or not, I don't know. It doesn't sound like one to me, at least.

It's subjective, I know, but I find Lupone's voice quite beautiful...speaking voice and all.