Did anyone see Jim Dale do Barnum?

[KB]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 7:09am

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/1341.htm

It's good to see him still working by the way. I've always wondered how he compared to Michael Crawford in the video of the production.

KB

[magruder]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 8:36am

Yes, I saw him. Truly an incredible performance...you've never seen someone working so hard making it look so easy. There was also something a little snarkier, a little edgier in his performance that Crawford doesn't quite equal, although Crawford in general in the taped version I think is quite good. (And maybe someone can correct me, but I don't remember Jim Dale doing the bit on stilts in "Bigger Isn't Better" that Crawford does, but I could be completely wrong).

[Batty]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 10:05am

Michael Crawford was wonderful in the video of Barnum, I loved it.Didnot care for Jim Dale.

[lensman]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 10:55am

No, Dale did not do the scene on stilts. He also wasn't balanced on the building as it fell in "Black and White." On the other hand, I seem to remember him balancing himself on two stacks of bricks, adding bricks one at a time on each stack during the "One Brick At A Time" number. Crawford did an odd stacking of bricks in his hand.

[lensman]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 10:56am

>Michael Crawford was wonderful in the video of Barnum, I loved >it.Didnot care for Jim Dale.

I liked Dale a lot... I also liked Crawford who went in a slightly different direction. The choked back sob at the end got to me.

[Craig]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 11:04am

I saw Jim in Barnum and was blown away. He was amazing in the production and put his "stamp" on the role that I don't think was ever equalled. I have seen the DVD with Michael Crawford a few times and while it's entertaining.. I thought MC just didn't have the charm (and as another poster said "snarkyness) etc. Jim never seemed to "mug" the audience which was something that bothered my about MC's performance.

I recently talked to Tony Orlando (who did the role on Broadway) and he said that the producers in the US didn't want to spend the money to record the production, so that is why Jim Dale's performance wasn't the one preserved. Which is a shame...

[babyface]

Posted: 6/19/03 at 11:22am

I saw Jim live and Michael on the video and enjoyed Michael's performance more overall. There was some interesting information in his biography as well about the conflicts between the US Producers and the London ones during the creative process of the show. At the end of what I think was the first preview, the US folks stood up and bowed towards the London ones being pleased with the changes.

[aurora1958]

Posted: 6/21/03 at 6:34pm

Oh yes, I saw it several times and enjoyed it very much. Then I saw Michael Crawford's and it was all over. I really, really enjoy both, and the thing that the other poster liked better the "snarkiness" of Jim Dale's Barnum is just the thing I didn't like and prefered Michael's more emotional one..and the major emphasis he put on the relationship between Barnum and his wife. The difference is in the ending, while Jim Dale's Barnum leaves the stage laughing, Michael's Barnum leaves with a good-bye to his late wife.

Loved them both...but my heart is really on Michael's.

Dotti

[tpdc]

Posted: 6/21/03 at 6:40pm

I thought Jim Dale was wonderful as Barnum. I saw it with my mother who isn't really big on musicals. She wasn't familiar with Dale before the show. By intermission, she was a big fan of his. I didn't like Stacy Keach in the tour or Crawford on video as much as Dale.

Did anyone see Dale last season in COMMEDIANS? I thought he was brilliant. I am used to seeing him play larger than life roles and seeing him play this "ordinary" guy with such nuance and detail was wonderful. He was particularly great in his big act two scene with Raul Esparza that Dale never for a moment overplayed.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/22/03 at 7:50am

Yes, I saw Jim Dale in BARNUM--twice, I believe. The first time was while the show was still in previews. The second time was well into its run and Glenn Close had left the show already. I enjoyed his performance very much, but it was so long ago that I couldn't recall specific moments from it. Sorry!

[JakeB]

Posted: 6/22/03 at 8:25am

I saw him as Fagin in Oliver!, which was very good.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/22/03 at 5:36pm

I did & he was great