I saw it in preview with Robert Lindsay. It was a lot of fun, but nothing I felt I needed to see more than once. MaryAnn Plunkett (where's she these days?) also was terrific. That was the year of Les Miz -- a show I DON'T like at all -- and it was gratifying that Lindsay beat out that pretentious Colm Wilkenson for the Tony.
I have the dvd from PBS..."Broadways Treasures" that has the Tony Award performances on it. "The Lambeth Walk" is on the dvd and it's quite the show stopper and definate crowd pleaser.
MaryAnn P won the Tony as Best Actress in a musical that year. If I remember correctly, M&MG was the first show at The Marquis Theatre and it ran for 5 years or so.
I saw it 3 times during its run on Broadway. What a delightful show, and for some reason I remember getting teary eyed at the opening number (sometimes happy songs do that to me).
Hey Dottie!
Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany
I was at the opening night because i was the assistant house manager when the show opened at the Adelphi in the West End. Mr Nederlander flew 10 of us over for 2 days. It was a great performance and very special seeing it on Broadway after looking after it as it opened in London. A wonderful show , it was touring the UK last year but closed before it reached London for reasons never really explained!
A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!''
Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'
You're right about M&MG being the first show at the Marquis, sort of. I believe that the Marquis was used as the venue for some pop singer for a limited run previous to M&MG.
I think Robert Lindsay was replaced by James Brennan, who was fabulous, too. Mr. Brennan also did the first national tour, I believe.
There's a good performance taped for PBS at the Paper Mill Playhouse starring Jim Walton. I recorded it the last time it aired. I still enjoy watching it.
"Be on your guard! Jerks on the loose!"
http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html
**********
"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"
Jamie T as Bill..............he's brilliant. I've done the show several times, once with Jamie as Bill, and other time when Jamie directed the show. He's fantastic!
Thank you, South Marc, you are so right!!! I am so deranged!!!
I know why they are scrambled in my brain...I saw James Brennan on Broadway in BOTH "Crazy for You" and "Me and My Girl." It's understandable that I would be dazed...he was quite swoonworthy!
Sorry!
"Be on your guard! Jerks on the loose!"
http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html
**********
"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"
He's amazing in the role. What theatre did you see him do it at? I've also done M&MG with Randy Hills as Bill.......a member of the original Broadway cast, that Jamie directed. Both guys are wonderful - each very different. With Jamie, there's so much of the physical comedy.
I would have loved to have seen it. I was in it in high school. It had a great overture and actually, the music was more impressive in its instrumental version than sung.
It was one of the very first shows I ever saw on Broadway -- I remember laughing hysterically at the library scene where Bill and Sally are reading the Bible...
I saw the show shortly after it opened at The Adelphi in London. The theatre is on The Strand, down the street from The Savoy Theatre, where many of the Gilbert and Sullivan shows debuted (that theatre and the attached hotel was built by Richard D'oily Carte, the producer of all the G&S shows.
The Adelphi was a high art deco theatre and very intimate. Naturally, Robert Lindsay was great as was his leading lady.... Emma Thompson! It's amazing to think of the Academy Award winning dramatic actress tap dancing, but she was fantastic.
When I saw the show in New York, the production was excellen but I preferred the British one.
Saw this production at the Leicester Haymarket on its 2nd night, with Robert Lindsay and Emma Thompson. From there it went to London with the same cast and then onto Broadway with RL. I think that beats you all!!