Barbara Walsh on Starring In Grey Gardens at Studio Theatre

[hockeynut2]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 12:39pm

She’s a hometown girl, and she’s back performing on the Metheny Stage at Studio Theatre as Edie and Edith in Studio Theatre’s production of Grey Gardens. In this transcript of their phone interview, Barbara Walsh talks with me about preparing to play the characters, and her NYC career. Joel
Barbara Walsh On Playing Edie/Edith in Studio Theatre's

[burntplains]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 1:16pm

I saw her about two weeks ago and she was DREADFUL! I really wanted to like her. I saw it on Broadway 6 times and was very familiar with the show. I was not expecting a Christine Ebersole performance but dear god.. You need someone who can sing that role and make it look effortless.. which she was unable to do. Her acting wasn't even average. She threw so many of the one liners away and destroyed most of the scenes. I just don't think she understood the show.

The woman who played BIG edie was good! She was a little on the smaller side for a big edie and her she moved around too quickly for as old as a woman she was playing...but she passed.

Overall this was a poor cast! I would have been embarrassed to be a part of it. Save your money and go see Next to Normal twenty times and witness Alice Ripley make history!

Just my 2cents

[philcrosby]

Posted: 12/23/08 at 1:48pm

Wow, I couldn't disagree more, BP. I didn't see Ebersole, so I cannot make a comparison ... but I thought Barbara was marvelous. Regal and witty, and she has a voice to rival Streisand. And that they all did it unmiked!

Be more exact ... what qualities were missed here that you saw in evidence in NYC?