LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION! - Who saw it?

[I originally put this on the other board, but thought my queries might get more traffic over here.]

I just saw this film on the tube this weekend, and it raised questions that I hope some of you brethren can answer.

I never saw it on the stage. I understand that the original cast was used for the film, save for Nathan Lane -- Jason Alexander stepped in there.

What are the differences between the stage version and the film version? I know they opened it up for the film as usual. Is it a one-set show? How was the twin thing handled -- were they ever onstage together, i.e. using a double with his back to the audience or something lame like that? Is there nudity in the stage version -- I mean, the most of the nudity in the film centered around the lake, which would be highly improbable on stage.

Any wisdom out there?

The main difference is that Nathan Lane was much funnier than Jason Alexander. There's a point in the movie where Alexander realizes that it's ok for the character to camp it up and then he takes off. Lane camped it up from the second he set foot onstage and hit every conceivable laugh in the script.

"Is it a one-set show?"

It was a bare stage and a lot was left up to the imagination.They slid things on for indoor scenes (chairs, etc), they used a trap door for a canoe, they used a special lighting for hiding in the closet, etc.

"How was the twin thing handled -- were they ever onstage together, i.e. using a double with his back to the audience or something lame like that?"

Mostly it was handled through costume changes, but they were onstage together one time when the mean twin confronts the good twin. In that moment, the actor was basically talking to an empty wing-back chair. The chair was facing upstage with its back to the audience.

"Is there nudity in the stage version"

The only reason it sold so many tickets and ran as long as it did on Broadway was because at some point every actor was nude.

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Without Nathan, there was no reason to see the film.

I have a real problem with "good twin/bad twin" shows. After twin Betty Huttons in HERE COME THE WAVES and twin Martha Rayes in KEEP 'EM FLYING, everything else pales by comarison.

Even twin John Glovers.

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Updated On: 2/7/05 at 02:29 PM

Saw it with both Nathan and Mario-both excellent; so different.

We saw it with Mario & loved it

My wife loves John Glover who has been M.I.A. from Broadway & movies for quite sometime

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Actually, Lane destroyed his partnership with Terence McNally when he agreed to do THE BIRDCAGE instead of L,V,C. It was his choice, not the filmmakers.
McNally basically made Lane's career, so...

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"Actually, Lane destroyed his partnership with Terence McNally when he agreed to do THE BIRDCAGE instead of L,V,C."

That's too bad, but I think Lane made the right decision. Who could turn down a chance to work with Robin Williams?

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robbiej is exactly right. "The Boys Next Door" offered far more money and Nathan could not afford to turn it down. I believe there was a scheduling conflict with the film of L!V!C! that could not be avoided.

Nathan & Terrence have long mended fences over the matter. Their friendship is solid.

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Updated On: 2/8/05 at 12:45 PM