Are Goulet's lines fed to his ear via radio?

[morosco]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 1:41pm

His performance sounded like they were in a detached-repeat-what-you-hear kind of way.

[Avigdor]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 2:31pm

wow..he and mary tyler moore

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 2:46pm

He'll pick up taxi despatches like Mary Martin did in Legends.

[bonna]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 3:22pm

"He'll pick up taxi despatches like Mary Martin did in Legends."

Which also featured Gary Beach.

[Flight0017]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 3:25pm

Taxi despatches? For real? Elaborate, please!

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 3:59pm

I read that in James Kirkwood's book Diary of a Mad Playwright, which was about his year on the road with Martin and Channing during Legends. She couldn't remember her lines and they fed them to her, but the frequency got screwed up. If you've never read that book, find it. It is hysterical.

[Flight0017]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 5:54pm

It sounded hilarious! Like something taken out of one of the "Naked Gun" movies

[grizzabella]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 6:58pm

Except for his lamentable turn at the Tonys, I haven't see Goulet, but from what I understand, he must get his lines somehow. He certainly didn't appear to have memorized them.

[Theatreboy33]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 7:02pm

I wouldnt doubt it in the least. At the tonys I wondered if he was wearing his glasses to read the teleprompter for his one line. Or does he actually wear the clunkers in the show?

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 7:12pm

The way he spoke his lines at the Tonys is how he spoke them when I saw the show a couple weeks ago. Oh yes... it made for good times...

And has anyone else had the pleasure of watching the curtain call when the entire cast claps to "Best of Times?"

~Jessica

[justthefacts2]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 8:12pm

According to Goulet, the La Cage producers approached him for this role "after the first of the year" - which explains a lot. They were all hungover.

[wildcat]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 8:55pm

There was a famous elderly actress who briefly replaced Anna Russell in the Australian production of NIGHT MUSIC in '74. She wore the earpiece and picked up taxi calls during "Liasons" which she dutifully repeated.

[Johnnytoc]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 11:30pm

Wildcat, that sounds hilarious.

[Liz_Bennet]

Posted: 6/20/05 at 11:49pm

If you think he was off-kilter at the Tonys, you obviously didn't see the Drama Desk Awards. He was a model presenter at the Tonys in comparison.

[justthefacts2]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 1:28am

I just found this article in the New Yorker - forgive me if you've seen it before. It is...well...it is just amazing.

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/050523ta_talk_green

I don't know how to do a link, but that's the address. It's from a 5/23/05 interview with La Goulet. No, nothing to do with his operation. fear not. Actually, it opens with him in Saint Patrick's Cathedral - granting an audience to God. He describes Jesus and Mary as "my dear friends." You can almost sense the unspoken "and admirers" at the end. Okay, that was low. That was low, I admit it. Am I being mean? Well, read the article. Maybe I'm not.

[BwayBoy25]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 1:45am

lets just say that i know of a highly highly known bway star who could not remember their lines for the life of them..i did a show with her muah ha ha ha ha

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 6:37am

Gee, a homophobe, misoginist (sp?) and a racist - sounds like a truly great guy!

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 6:48am

Redhot-So true...

I would be inclined to think maybe yes on this. If he needed to read his lines off of a teleprompter at the Tonys, lines that he supposedly recites eight times a week, why wouldn't he need help during his normal performance?

I've seen him in the show. His vocal performance is very good, but his acting is really lacking. He definitely seems detached.
Updated On: 6/21/05 at 06:48 AM

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 9:14am

I'm not sure if he does, but it would certainly explain his wooden performance. And the producers are actually talking about him doing the tour. Bwa ha ha ha. That would be a great idea, he killed the show on Broadway - lets take him on tour.

[arishmoof]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 10:03am

wow, what is this- a britney spears concert?? that is so cheap. i saw daniel davies, when i saw the show and im glad i did cause he was amazing. and from what i saw at the tonys, its no wonder theyre closing. its really a shame, davies might have kept them running a while if hed stayed (what was the story with that anyway?)

[Di2]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 11:53am

Why in the world is Robert Goulet famous?? His performances are horrible and he can't act..

uuggh..Damn B'way for constantly selling out....

[Mamie]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 11:56am

I'm wondering if we'll ever know. Maybe once the show actually closes? Then again, maybe it was part of the settlement package for Davis et al to remain quiet.

I just want to know 2 things:

1. WHY was Davis let go the WAY he was? I mean, with that slam in Reidel's column that then went on to become tabloid 'fact' in every story you read from that point on? From time immemorial performers have left productions for 'artistic differences'. Why not this time? This is probably the biggest question (with the worst consequences) of any action in this matter.

and 2. WHY IN HEAVEN'S NAME did they hire Goulet? When you think of all the really talented men in the theatre who would climb walls to get one of the few really plumb roles for a mature man in musical theatre and they had to hire Goulet? It just doesn't make sense.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 11:58am

"I read that in James Kirkwood's book Diary of a Mad Playwright, which was about his year on the road with Martin and Channing during Legends. She couldn't remember her lines and they fed them to her, but the frequency got screwed up. If you've never read that book, find it. It is hysterical."

Jinkies, Nmartin! That book sounds very interesting. Do you have any other theater-related books that you might recommend?

Updated On: 6/21/05 at 11:58 AM

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 12:30pm

Di2--
Is hiring Goulet really considered a sell-out, though? It's not like they hired Justin Timberlake or someone. Goulet has Broadway cred, even if he allegedly no longer has the stuff for it.

[ProducersFan]

Posted: 6/21/05 at 1:11pm

I'm wondering if the producers just didn't want the show to close anyway or something... and pulled a real-life "The Producers" plot. It all seems too fishy for me... and sad...

~Jessica