Natasha Richardson in CLOSER, Streetcar and Cabaret among others...

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/12/09 at 4:01am

Any BWW-users that saw Natasha Richardson on Broadway? I created a thread, but it got deleted because out of everyday of the year I posted it on April 1st. and Im terrible with dates, so of course I was unaware.
But I meant to collect non-professional reviews of Richardson as an homeage. I have special interest in reviews of Patrick Marber's CLOSER. The posters that already posted reviews, if they read this, please re-post them, since I was barely able to read the only review that one user shared.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 4/12/09 at 8:33am

I saw her in Streetcar, I'll post a review later...but she was amazing!

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 4/12/09 at 8:41am

Your thread got deleted because you worded it horribly and it read like you were joking about her death.

[DoranC]

Posted: 4/12/09 at 9:37am

Actually it read like someone who made a grammar error but was trying to get comments on NR's performance in "Closer." But that's water under the bridge now (as they say).

I will re-post comments about "Closer" soon...have to do Easter things now.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/12/09 at 10:23am

I saw her in Streetcar. I will never forget it. I was talking to someone about how much I loved her a few months ago, before she died, and when she came up in conversation, I just burst out with, "Oh my God, she's DIVINE." It was the perfect word to describe her. I had waited years to see her live, and to finally see her was worth every moment of the wait. I'll always be grateful for that.

[musikman]

Posted: 4/12/09 at 2:25pm

Just in case anyone gets it, the Parent Trap remake is currently on one of the Starz channels.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/12/09 at 4:42pm

I was lucky enough to see Natasha in all 3 of these. As expected, her Sally is iconic and nobody ever came close to matching her throughout the run of the show. It's such a shame that performance was never capture in the rumored remake of the film, or the revival (of the revival) that was maybe sort of somehow someday expected a few years ago.

As for STREETCAR, as much as it pains me to say it, I truly did not enjoy her performance in it at all. Being from the south, I do think that's a role that's very hard for someone to portray who isn't either from there or understands that particular mentality extremely well. I'm sure there are many actresses who are unfamiliar with either and do just fine, I felt though that it was severely lacking. But hey, even Meryl Streep has SHE-DEVIL under her belt. lol

[wickedfan]

Posted: 4/12/09 at 4:45pm

Jordan- at least her Sally was preserved at the Lincoln Center Library.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/12/09 at 4:50pm

Exactly. And for those lucky enough, there's quite a bit of "footage" easily obtainable.

I saw every Sally except for Lea Thompson who I was DYING to see, it just never worked out, and while a lot of actresses were amazing in their own rights (especially Jennifer Jason Leigh who blew my mind and did something with that role nobody dared do after) nobody quite reached what Natasha did with it. Those lucky enough to see it I'm sure won't ever forget it.

[DoranC]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 11:03pm

okay, Take 2 on my "Closer" memories...

I remember very much enjoying the Broadway production of "Closer," although I came to it having seen the original London production, and the Broadway version wasn't quite as potent as that original. At the time, I was partly, though not by much, critical of an aspect of Richardson's approach to the role, although her skill as an actor was very apparent. My impression (backed up by things she said in interviews at the time) was that she wanted to bring a more heartfelt, emotional approach into the piece, which is commendable, but I think Marber's play only supports heartfelt up to a point. I think my conclusion was that the play actually works better nastier. But, as I said, I did like the production a lot and NR's presence and delivery were great to experience.

If there was something more in particular, muscle23ftl, that you were interested in in regards to the play, let me know. I believe I recall you mentioning the film in the first thread--have you seen a production of the play?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 11:16pm

Her Sally was riveting. I think she was 34 or 35 at the time, and it was the first time I'd seen a Sally older than say, 25 or so. The performance rightly deserves all the accolades it got.

The sight of her at the end, during the finale, standing there in her robe, looking like a deer caught in headlights was chilling.

Man, I'm still bummed about her death.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 11:21pm

I still have trouble really believing it.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 11:25pm

I caught some of "Patty Hearst" the other day and I was struck by how with each year she got more beautiful. She's positively luminous in "The Parent Trap."

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/14/09 at 7:45am

I am in the minority here. I thought she scored brilliantly in STREETCAR, hampered only by the lack of a leading man (Reilly was a Mitch, period.) Had she played it opposite another Stanley, the production might've soared. Amy Ryan was a breathtakingly perfect Stella. I thought her Sally was as stunning as everyone else, and actually think her singing was underappreciated. The songs were pretty thrilling. But CLOSER was a sour, muted production, and I barely recall her making any impression. After CABARET, it seemed as if she was operating at 50%.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 4/14/09 at 9:21am

The only time I ever had the opportunity to see her perform live was, unfortunately, her final performance ever, in 'A Little Night Music'. She was a breathtakingly perfect Desiree, and it breaks my heart that the rest of the world won't have the chance to experience it. It's a night in the theater I won't ever, ever forget. I'm still in shock over her passing.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/16/09 at 6:26am

"I think Marber's play only supports heartfelt up to a point. I think my conclusion was that the play actually works better nastier. But, as I said, I did like the production a lot and NR's presence and delivery were great to experience.

If there was something more in particular, muscle23ftl, that you were interested in in regards to the play, let me know. I believe I recall you mentioning the film in the first thread--have you seen a production of the play?"

-I agree with you, I think the play works better if it's "nastier".
-I have seen a big production of the play in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the year 2000, and loved it. Many plays tend to bore me, but this one kept me engaged all along. Funny enough, the same play by Marber was revived last year again, which has never was revived on Broadway. This play always causes a stir in Buenos Aires, and draws the attention of big names that choose to star in it.
-I also loved the movie version and think it was Julia Robert's best performance EVER recorded, the rest of the cast was top notch and both Portman and Owen got Oscar nominations.

Updated On: 4/16/09 at 06:26 AM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/16/09 at 6:29am

"Your thread got deleted because you worded it horribly and it read like you were joking about her death"

-I already explained that English is not my 1st language, so I don't know what's the point of you saying that again. Get a life. I admire her, and would never do that to her, or anyone.

[nealb1]

Posted: 4/16/09 at 12:09pm

I saw her in "Cabaret" in 1998, and attended The Tony Awards the very next day when she won Best Actress in a musical. Also, saw her 4 years ago in "Streetcar" at Studio 54. She was brilliant!

[DoranC]

Posted: 4/16/09 at 9:00pm

I'm not a huge fan of the film "Closer." I've no complaints about Julia Roberts, although she did seem to take Larry's claim that Anna is a depressive quite seriously, which is an interesting choice. But I almost think Mike Nicols, the director, took it all too seriously -- in the sense of trying to play it as a straight, heavy drama, particularly in the later part of the film. He stripped (no pun intended!) a great deal of the lighter, funnier moments from the second half. The play works when it balances on the line between comedy and drama, between 'high art' theatrical and something almost akin to sitcom (in the best sense). Trying to make it too much of a full-on drama--particularly with its very stylized dialogue--can end up making it feel too thin.

Then again, I haven't seen the film in a very long time. :)

It was interesting in re-listening recently to the Charlie Rose interview with Natasha Richardson and Patrick Marber from when the play was on Broadway how Marber pretty much talked down the idea of making it into a movie.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/16/09 at 11:31pm

Doran, you should re-watch CLOSER soon! I am sure you are going to enjoy it. I don't get tired of watching this DVD.

[BroomstickBoy]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 12:19am

"(especially Jennifer Jason Leigh who blew my mind and did something with that role nobody dared do after)"

What did she do that no one else did?

I still can believe Natasha is gone. Watching her sing the title song to Cabaret in that "footage" takes on a whole new meaning.

"I thought her Sally was as stunning as everyone else, and actually think her singing was underappreciated." <- I'm glad I'm not the only one who actually liked her singing.

I could sit and listen to her voice for hours, even if she were just talking.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 2:38am

Yes, what did Jennifer do so differently?

What did you think of Brooke Shields as Sally Bowles?

As Natasha said in several interviews, she was trying not to think of Liza's Sally Bowles, and tried to do her own thing. I was biased and skeptical about seeing Richardson or any other actress without Liza's powerful voice playing this role. I saw Melina Karakaredes and didn't enjoy her Sally, actually I was really surprised by Jon Secada as the MC. He can sing!

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 4/17/09 at 8:02am

Liza was much too good a singer and dancer for the role. Natasha was perfect.