Eliza? - My Fair Lady Revival 2018- Page 30

[BJR]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 1:14pm

QueenAlice said: "The Lauren Ambrose criticisms are unfair. They are simply coming from a fanboy mentality of those on the board fantasizing their favorites in the role. Sher deserves some credit and faith here in his casting choice."

I still think it's transferred anger over her miscasting of the ill-fated FUNNY GIRL revival. I bet had that not happened people would be open to her here. But it's too deja vu; everyone wetting themselves imagining all the Bway talent that could headline and then getting a Sher favorite.

[Itonlytakesajourney]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 1:22pm

It's not that I hate Ambrose, I'm quite excited to see her actually. Sher cast her for a reason, and I don't have any doubt in his ability. But so many actresses already established would've done wonders with the part. In other words, Danny is exciting and so is Ambrose. 

[goldenboy]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 2:30pm

GeorgeandDot said: "Look, Sher's a great director that knows how to get great performances out of his actors. No matter who he goes with, this is guaranteed to be a great production."

 

Really? did you see his misdirected Fiddler on the Roof with a misdirected Danny Burstein? A misdireced
joyous "Matchmaker: which was done as funeral dirge?

Barlett Scher has done good work for sure.. but not always. Fiddler and Women on fhe Verge come to mind.
 

 

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 2:45pm

Goldenboy, I don't believe that Fiddler was in partnership with LCT and I actually enjoyed it quite a lot.  It wasn't perfect, but it was still a great production with pretty large production values.  LCT won't let him do anything terrible to My Fair Lady.  He's had two (maybe) misfires (I actually really liked Women on the verge too, even if it was a hot mess), but the rest of his work has been extremely strong.  If the cast turns out to be Ambrose, Laurie, and Burstein, it would be pretty hard to f*ck it up no matter how hard he tries.  We're guaranteed at least a good production, it will probably be great, sensational even, but it won't be bad.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 3:28pm

GeorgeandDot said: "Frances Conroy would be lovely as Mama Higgins, but I'm kind of hoping that part went to Mary Beth Peil."

Conroy would be lovely.  So would Peil. 

But I'm hoping for Charlotte Rampling.

 

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 3:43pm

Fiddler was absolutely amazing.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 4:03pm

goldenboy said: "GeorgeandDot said: "Look, Sher's a great director that knows how to get great performances out of his actors. No matter who he goes with, this is guaranteed to be a great production."

Really? Did you see his misdirected Fiddler on the Roof with a misdirected Danny Burstein? A misdirected
joyous "Matchmaker: which was done as funeral dirge?

Bartlett Sher has done good work for sure.. but not always. Fiddler and Women on the Verge come to mind."

I loved his production of Fiddler on the Roof and I thought Danny's performance as Tevye was incredible!

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 6:03pm

If Hugh Laurie is indeed Higgins, the casting of Ambrose makes more sense. He is 58 and looks 60, Ambrose is 39, but looks 35. An actresss in her twenties opposite Laurie would have a bit of an ick factor. 

[orlikethecolorpurple]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 6:30pm

In what world does Hugh Laurie look 60?

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 7:32pm

Well I assumed he was in his early sixties, and went to Wikipedia to confirm and was surprised he's about five years younger than I thought.

Colin Firth is only a year younger but looks closer to his actual age.

[The Josh]

Posted: 9/30/17 at 8:45pm

Really intrigued to hear about Higgins... the casting we "know" already is incredibly exciting!!!

[Ravenclaw]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 12:31pm

Does it bother anyone that the (rumored) casting of Burstein and Ambrose means a 53-year-old will play the father of a 40-year-old?

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 12:38pm

Not really. It’s theatre and actors are playing roles. They aren’t playing their own ages. I saw Sian Phillips play Judi Dench’s mother in a Little Night Music and she is only one year older.

 

But I suppose if it really bothers you you can justify it this way: In Victorian England it would not be unusual for a poverty level, uneducated alcoholic cockney to father a child at age 13.

[Sunny11]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 12:42pm

Even today 13 year old dads aren't uncommon. 

[NYadgal]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 2:37pm

Did I miss something?  Is Lauren Ambrose confirmed as Eliza?

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 3:16pm

NYadgal said: "Did I miss something? Is Lauren Ambrose confirmed as Eliza?"

Basically.  We haven't had official word from LCT, but it's no big secret that she's playing the part.  Apparently, she's been cast for weeks and they're waiting to officially announce her once their Higgins has signed on, which it seems like he has.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 4:30pm

Ravenclaw said: "Does it bother anyone that the (rumored) casting of Burstein and Ambrose means a 53-year-old will play the father of a 40-year-old?"

I may have mentioned this before, but Danny Burstein was still able to play Bernadette Peters' husband in Follies despite the 16-year age difference between them. Plus, I think if he grows a beard for the role, that should make him look older.

Updated On: 10/1/17 at 04:30 PM

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 6:34pm

Ravenclaw said: "Does it bother anyone that the (rumored) casting of Burstein and Ambrose means a 53-year-old will play the father of a 40-year-old?"

Mary Testa is currently playing mother to Jason Alexander in the new John Patrick Shanley play at MTC. She's 62 and he's 58.

 

[MCfan2]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 8:34pm

Hang on -- are we sure (or as sure as we can be right now) about Laurie? That would be fantastic! He was my second choice after Firth.

[JIMG3]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 8:48pm

MCfan2 said: "Hang on -- are we sure (or as sure as we can be right now) about Laurie? That would be fantastic!He was my second choice after Firth."

No one can be sure until the full casting is announced. I understand that will happen next week. I like the idea of Hugh Laurie, too. 

Updated On: 10/1/17 at 08:48 PM

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 9:05pm

JIMG3 said: "MCfan2 said: "Hang on -- are we sure (or as sure as we can be right now) about Laurie? That would be fantastic!He was my second choice after Firth."

No one can be sure until the full casting is announced. I understand that willhappen next week. I like the idea of Hugh Laurie, too."

Do you mean this coming week or next week?

[JIMG3]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 9:48pm

Sorry, this coming week, yes. 

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 9:56pm

In truth, Hugh Laurie is more appropriate for Higgins than Colin Firth, and is still pretty famous from House MD. It may have worked out for the best. Higgins is basically a British Dr. House minus the drug problem.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 10/1/17 at 10:57pm

The Distinctive Baritone said: "Higgins is basically a British Dr. House minus the drug problem."

Yeah, pretty much.  

Updated On: 10/1/17 at 10:57 PM

[Ado Annie D'Ysquith]

Posted: 10/2/17 at 9:20am

Alfred P. Doolittle- let the record show that we totally called it!

Also, PLEASE for Hugh Laurie. *throws money at the Vivian Beaumont*