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

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 2:05pm

Loverly, you're right. The story is gone.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 2:09pm

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

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 2:09pm

I guess BWW jumped the gun on this one.

[BROADWAYFAN3]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 2:12pm

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

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 4:58pm

Sutton is leaving to work on "Young Frankentein," so don't count on her reprising her role anywhere.

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.

Updated On: 1/18/07 at 04:58 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 5:01pm

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

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 5:04pm

I guess our summer vacation will be to London this year!

[Weez]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 5:04pm

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

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 5:26pm

Here's the BWW link.
Elaine Page to Star in West End Drowsy

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 7:49pm

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.

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 1/18/07 at 8:00pm

He said he'd return to New York in the fall.

Source? I don't doubt you, but I haven't yet read that anywhere else.

This is very exciting news. I'm going to be in London this August, but only for a few days before heading to the Fringe in Edinburgh...I'll just have to try my darndest to see "Drowsy" in that limited time.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 6:04am

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

[RYANWOODS]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 6:57am

Elaine Paige will be a fab Chaperone. She plays these quirky roles really well.

John Partridge will be Robert
Caroline Sheen will be Kitty
Summer Strallen will be Janet

They want Michael Ball for Aldolpho - but he is contracted into Kismit at the ENO...not sure if he would be right anyway....talks of John Barrowman, but he seems pretty tied up with TV work. Seems the role could another West End name...i guess watch this space!

Bob Martin definatly reprising his role for the London company.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 7:00am

"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?

[sharon1]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 8:41am

Great casting . She will be fantastic.
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. Just a guess Updated On: 1/19/07 at 08:41 AM

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 9:08am

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!

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 10:13am

The best example I can think of of a London 30's show that fits the madcap comedy mould is "Nymph Errant" which starred Gertie Lawrence and opened in 1933. The score was by Cole Porter and the show was about a madcap miss who leaves boarding school determined to follow the teachings of a rather slutty older professor who told her to experience the world (which she mistook to mean "sleep with all the men you meet.") In the course of the show, she becomes the mistress of a French theatrical emprasarrio and wife number 167 in a harem. She is rescued by an american engineer who then proceeds to tell her the wonders of laying pipe... AND HE'S TALKING ABOUT PLUMBING. She eventually shows up two years late at her dotty aunt's house and explains the delay by saying she stopped off for ice cream.

Seriously, that's the plot.....

Updated On: 1/19/07 at 10:13 AM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 10:41am

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

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/19/07 at 8:49pm

We agree Michael. I actually meant the outer show (the whole production) of The Drowsy was in the same witty, clever style as Nymph Errant. And can you imagine the scandal if they hadtried to mount it in New York back then?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/20/07 at 11:41pm

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

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 12:16am

I think the Man in the Chair can still be American. Any true show queen knows musical theatre - Broadway or West End...

[Weez]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 12:40am

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?

[courtnyj]

Posted: 1/21/07 at 1:25am

I was thrilled when I read the news that Elaine Paige would be playing the chaperone...especially since I am going to London for the first time on June 3rd! I'm off to buy tickets! West End here I come! (So very excited!)