Anybody remember "Applause"?

[lensman55]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 12:50pm

I was watching the Broadway DVDs my wife picked up. One of them has a seqence with Bonnie Franklin doing the title number from "Applause." In the sequence, the cast starts parodying various famous Broadway bits working the songs to include the word "applause."

First off, this is a production that should be remounted. (My vote for Liza Minnelli as Margo). Secondly, if it were remounted, should it be done as a period piece, in which case the bits could remain the same or should it be updated to the present? If it were updated, how would you rearrange bits of the "new classic" productions to work in the word "applause?" (ie. "Rent" - "Les Mis" - "Phantom" - "Cats" etc.)

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 1:19pm

Personally, I feel that if this show were to be remounted today, it would be best presented as a period piece - the arrangements are just to "70s" in feel to be done today without major changes. And the book is not very good. I happen to love it only because I have a very fond memory of watching the televised production with Lauren Bacall when I was a child and falling in love with her. I like a couple songs from the show - the title number and "But Alive"...but I don't really think people would buy this show if it were done today without major rewrites.

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:00pm

I concur. I love the original direction and if it were revived it should be done in the 70's as well. I just hope if it is done again Len Cariou is not put to shame.

[Jon]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 2:12pm

Boy - that scene where Margo goes to the gay bar - that was just so SCANDALOUS in the early 1970's!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 4:38pm

Certain friends of mine can still get a reaction out of each other simply by saying "MARGO!"

Updated On: 4/14/05 at 04:38 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 4:51pm

The Weisslers were going to remount the show for Broadway a few years back, but it fell apart on the road.

I've seen the Bacall video as well as a couple of regional productions and I really think it's a mediocre show and doesn't need to be revived. The book lacks the wit and inciveness of the classic screenplay (they couldn't get the rights to it) and the score only comes alive maybe a third of the time (lots of clunkers).

It only worked before as a star vehicle for Bacall. I guess if another star of that magnitude really wanted to come back in it, it might happen, but my god, there are 100 better shows out there I'd rather see revived than that one.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 5:01pm

There's been lots of talk about APPLAUSE here lately. ENCORES (or is it REPRISE) is doing it in concert with Sheryl Lee Ralph as Margo. APPLAUSE was exciting because of Lauren Bacall's Tony winning performance. IT HAS THE SHOCKINGLY worst score EVER for a Tony award winning best musical. The overture is deceptively excellent. "But Alive," and the title song are the only ones that are pretty good and some are ok like "Who's That Girl," but this is a dreadful score. It stuns me that this score was written by the same people who wrote BYE BYE BIRDIE and ANNIE.
The best HIGHLIGHT of the original Broadway production was the fabulously staged curtain call bow that Ron Field did for Lauren Bacall. It was magnificent and goosebump inducing. Penny Fuller was excellent in APPLAUSE and Bonnie Franklin got a Tony nomination(as did Fuller in the same supporting category) although I have never really cared much for Franklin as a performer.
Len Cariou was his lifeless, usual performing self and his singing comes off particularly poor on the recording. The ABC television production (I purchased it on video a few years back)--it is a hoot to watch--I remember how thrilled I was when it was gonna be televised when I was a kid, and I couldn't understand why some of the cast seemed to be speaking in British accents and I was disappointed at all the material left out of the TV version. Bacall's performance did not work very well in the televised version. "It" was much too big for the small screen. She was electrifying onstage. And I must say, that Anne Baxter who replaced her was awfully marvelous and sang the role a great deal better. For the few who may not know, Anne Baxter played Eve in the film ALL ABOUT EVE on which APPLAUSE is based. In the musical, Anne Baxter played Margo, so she kinda came full circle, it was inspired and interesting casting. Ms. Baxter was as excellent as Margo as was her Oscar nominated performance as Eve in the film.
Unfortunately, APPLAUSE is third rate Strouse and Adams and forth rate Comden and Green. The costumes provided for them and the leading ladies themselves were great. But this show is not one of the greats. For those who saw the original production on Broadway, remember that Alan King appeared in the show? He was on television monitors placed throughout the theater and when the overture ended the monitors had the videotaped Alan King "hosting the Tonys or something to that effect," and he of course introduced MARGO CHANNING. The tv monitors went black as the glittering and dazzling Bacall strided to center stage, live and in person:)

[paradox_error]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 5:52pm

THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LI-I-I-I-I-I-IFE...


*nightmares*

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 7:39pm

Doxie--you have no IDEA!

MARGO!

[mollyllom]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 7:51pm

i read the subject title as "applesauce"...oh dear..

[eslgr8]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 8:14pm

Margo, you wrote, "The book lacks the wit and inciveness of the classic screenplay (they couldn't get the rights to it)." The OBC and ibdb both say: "Book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green; Based on the film "All About Eve" and the original story by Mary Orr." Please explain.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 9:27pm

What's brilliant about the the property "All About Eve" is the legendary witty script by Joe Manciewicz, not the original story by Mary Orr. They couldn't get the rights to the Manciewicz script (until shortly before opening when it was too late) so Comden and Green couldn't use any of the classic dialogue and had to invent their own which, sorry to say, just isn't in the same class. The outline of the story of the musical and the film and the book are all the same, basically, but Comden and Green couldn't include any of Manciewicz's classic lines and what they created is rather pedestrian.

[MissMommy]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 10:33pm

So if they could get the rights just before opening (and btw, I would have held off opening to stick those gems in!) - then couldn't they incorporate the film dialog into a revival now?

[OhSoWicked]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 10:45pm

My good friend's college just did this .. it was awesome.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 4/14/05 at 11:04pm

I'm sure the option for the rights are now long expired by now and would involve a renegotiation (and more $$$) to acquire them again. Green has passed away, so it's a question whether Betty Comden would be interested in rewriting the entire book by herself at this point in her life/career. Can't see why she'd bother. Besides, the show's inadequcaies go beyond just the book.