Elaine Paige is London's Drowsy Chaperone, per BWW — Page 2

Sutton just got married and her husband is in Legally Blonde in Ny, I doubt she'd go to London.

---

don't know where the story went, but the news is true

It's on Broadway.com, so it's legit.

It's also on http://news.bbc.co.uk in the Entertainment section. It's a bit scary that I found the news there before any of the theatre sites. O_O

---

Michael Bennett, what's an example of a 20s/30s West End musical? I'm honestly not that familiar with them. Would "Me and My Girl" be one?

Yes, ME AND MY GIRL would be an example of a hit 30s West End musical, but the shows that seem closer to what THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is parodying are 1920s London musicals that had titles like: NOWS'S THE TIME, CHEAP!, OH JOY! BRAN PIE, and NOT LIKELY.

The stars of these musicals were personalities like Beatrice Lillie, Gertrude Lawrence, and Jack Buchanan, who were much more eccentric than American stage stars of the same time period (like Billie Burke and Marilyn Miller) and my guess were more the inspiration for "Janet Van Der Graff, "Beatrice Stockwell" and "Robert Martin"

Certainly West End Audiences will think so, regardless of what the authors intended - so I really would be in favor of tweaking the show in London to be a parody of the British musical from the 1920s.

Rumours have suggested that Caroline Sheen (Forum, Chitty, Witches) and John Partridge (Cats, Miss Saigon) have also been cast in leading roles.

"Amanda Holden (who ironically played the title character in the West End mounting 'Thoroughly Modern Millie') is rumored to be playing Janet in the London production."

You haven't had much experience with irony, have you?

---

I love this show and is EXTREMELY excited about it comin over! Im not sure about EP ... I still think Julia McKenzie/Rosie Ashe/Sally Ann Triplett wud be better choices but hey, she'll be a box office no doubt!

---

I love NYMPH ERRANT! But I have to kind of disagree with the comparison to "THE DROWSY CHAPERONE" - NYMPH ERRANT was actually a very clever, witty show that was of course a completly tounge in cheek satire/exploration of females and sex - with Cole Porter at his delicious dirtiest with song titles like: "Experiment," "It's Bad for Me" "Sweet Nudity," "The Physician" and of course "Plumbing" (I'll leave you to figure out what this song was REALLY about).

The show was a big hit in London but didn't transfer to New York because it was considered too risque.

So basically, NYMPH ERRANT was a lot more sophisticated and sly than the fictional "DROWSY CHAPERONE," which the man in the chair confesses is supposed to be a "pretty lame" musical.

I also think THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is parodying musicals of the 1920s - which were for the most part all a lot more absurd than what came in the 1930s. But I digress...

Encores should actually do NYMPH ERRANT. I know it doesn't quite qualify, but its hard to believe the show hasn't been given a full concert mounting in NYC. It has a great score.

Updated On: 1/19/07 at 10:41 AM

I wonder if they will change the references to the West End for London. It would seem to make sense to do that (to me).

But how would they handle the accents? Most importantly, Bob's accent. Would Man in Chair still be American or will he be British?

Yes they did want Michael Ball but you are correct about Kismet at the ENO. Yes he could do it. My gosh his Fosco was fantastic. But maybe he doesn't want to do another "italian caricature" at this time.

Aldolpho is a "Latin Lover" caricature. Not Italian at all.

---

Updated On: 1/20/07 at 11:41 PM

The Man in Chair can be anything he wants to be, he doesn't need to fit so neatly with everyone else nationalitywise. If they Brit it up, I almost guarantee they'll keep him American/Canadian. Although if it goes to a Brit after Martin leaves, he'll probably go British. ^_^

Who do I have to *ahem* kiss to get John Barrowman in this production? They can film an entire series of 'Torchwood' in two months, can't they?

---