Emma Stone as Sally Bolwes in Cabaret Review Thread- Page 2

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 12:42am

Wow, people on Tumblr waste no time.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 6:58am

I was there last night too and enjoyed her different take on the role from an acting perspective, but I thought her singing left something to be desired, especially during "Cabaret" and parts of "Maybe This Time."

I think Sauja is right about an uncomfortable pause or two, although I didn't think it was because she was going up on lines, but rather that she was nervous about staying with the orchestra. Maybe she only had one full run through with them before her first show so hopefully in the future she can worry less about stuff like that as she settles into the part.

Williams was vulnerable and neurotic. Stone is a fighter and survivalist, and I really felt her connecting with and understanding Fraulein Schneider's decision not to marry Herr Schultz more than other Sallys. I've seen some Sallys really seem to be falling for Cliff and the life they could have together, but Stone's is not a fool and living in a land of delusion. If Williams was Sally (Durant Plummer) then Stone is Phyllis. If Stone moved back to PA with Cliff you could totally hear her singing "Could I Leave You" to him in 20 years.

Overall the show is in great shape, and for me it's still all about Linda Emond. Her "What Would You Do?" is the clear highlight of the evening.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 6:58am

ROTFL on prolife!

Wow, what a beautiful voice! Emma should have been on Broadway, a long time ago.

[Sauja]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 10:04am

"If Williams was Sally (Durant Plummer) then Stone is Phyllis."

Love this take and find it pretty spot on. Also? Is it too early to start campaigning for a Williams/Stone Follies in 2034?

I know people were very, very divided on Williams in the role--I happened to really love her and thought that fragility she brought to the role was a brave and difficult choice. I'm thrilled to see Stone making different choices not only from Williams but from the other Sally's I've seen. She's not coasting on movie star charm or easy choices. I also think that her performance will be more universally embraced than Williams' was. That's not a comment on the quality of either one--I just feel Stone's Sally is more pleasant to listen to and more relateable. I suspect people will be very pleased with her!

[jemjeb2]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 10:37am

Actually, Dave & Whizzer I see it the other way around. Burstein and Edmond are incredible...but it is Cumming who steals the show.

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 10:54am

"Did they change the playbill cover for her...?"

The PlayBill doesn't have any cast names on it. Just Alan's eyes looking through the slot in the door. Not sure what they could change...

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 11:03am

I give props to anyone who could escape "In Search of The New Partridge Family" and still manage to have a career.

Updated On: 11/12/14 at 11:03 AM

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 11:16am

Those audio clips plus the fact that, even though she's off to a damn fine start, she will only get better make me so happy that I bought my tickets when they went on sale...

January 7, 2015 can come fast enough!

[Alix]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 11:34am

"The PlayBill doesn't have any cast names on it. Just Alan's eyes looking through the slot in the door. Not sure what they could change..."

I believe they're actually Joel Grey's eyes but, yes, I would certainly not expect to see any Playbill change. I do wonder if they'll sell a new program eventually, though.

Seeing the show on Sunday and looking forward to it immensely. I was not sold on Emma until I heard her say she fell in love with the show when she was nine. I'm the same age as her and also fell in love with it when I was young. Now I just want to be her best friend. :) My cousin was there last night and absolutely raved about her. Did anyone notice any costumes that were different from Michelle's? Does she actually wear the black lacey outfit she wears in her promo photos?

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 11:45am

I can't fully explain why but the costume changes made for Williams kind of bugged me. Why on earth would she be wearing a girly silk blouse during a sexy leather/lace/boot stomping number? I get it made her Sally a bit more delicate and girlish, but I honestly felt like it was the actress saying "I won't wear a bustier on stage" more than a character choice. I'm probably dead wrong about that though, just my conjecture.

[Alix]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 11:50am

^^ I agree. I thought most of Michelle's costumes were beautiful, but not right for Sally. (Though they did work much better for her portrayal of Sally than they would for most actresses' Sally--I do think the costume choices were probably closely related to her character choices.) I just can't get over Sally Bowles not at any point wearing thigh-highs. And I really disliked the cream-colored jumpsuit she wore in the last scene of Act One. Which is why I'm hoping some changes were made for Emma.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 11:50am

I can't wait to see Emma Stone in this, she bears a striking resemblance to the original "Sally" - Jill Haworth.

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 11/12/14 at 8:38pm

Oops, forgot to post last night.
This was my first experience with the show (I decided to go in blind and avoided watching the movie first, although that is now something I'll be watching ASAP) but as far as I can tell, Emma is fantastic. Acted very well, and sung very well. Her singing could use some work, but she's got a very good voice, and I'm sure it was just nerves + pressure, and she'll only get better as she goes. She was a great first Sally to have - I'd definitely recommend seeing her.

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 11/13/14 at 8:34am

"but I honestly felt like it was the actress saying "I won't wear a bustier on stage" more than a character choice. I'm probably dead wrong about that though, just my conjecture."

Yeah, nasty_khakis. You're are probably dead wrong. The type of actress Michelle Williams is makes that guess just sound like gossip fueling. She is extremely comfortable with doing nudity and she not a demanding movie star.

[ohjustjake]

Posted: 11/13/14 at 8:42am

Saw her last night. I've never seen Cabaret before, haven't really listened to the music that much, so I basically went in cold.

I thought that Emma Stone was simply fantastic. Her voice took me a second to get used to - her singing is a bit nasally and her accent caught me off guard, but after a couple minutes I was completely on board. She is commanding, confident, yet fragile and broken. I couldn't help but continue to watch her in scenes when she wasn't even doing anything. Truly a performance to catch.

Alan was out last night, so Leeds was on. Because I had nothing to compare him to, I thought he was quite good. My friend, who used to work as a bartender at Cabaret, said he hated his performance and thought he was completely wrong for the role. Eh, to each his out, I suppose. But for me, he was very strong and the audience was quite into him.

Overall, I really had a great time at the show. I didn't love it, but there was so much to like that that is all I've been thinking about. And. Emma. Stone. Definitely worth the hype.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 11/13/14 at 9:10am

There is a difference in being nude on film (closed set and 3 people around) and on stage in front of hundreds.

I'm not trying to fuel a demanding-diva rumor since I've definitely heard lovely things about her, just possibly a "I hate to be a pest, but could I possibly..." request. Or the costumer came to a rehearsal and thought "Oh no no, that bustier is all wrong! She's far to girl-ish"

Just something about the changes seemed odd to me. I've heard William Ivy Long talk about the different Roxie dresses and he said something like some of them requested to cover up more, some wanted more cleavage, etc.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/13/14 at 9:44am

I thought I was the only one who thought Stone more in the Jill Hayworth mode. To me, that's a good thing. And I still love those Hayworth vocals, the very first we all heard.

[fb1123]

Posted: 11/13/14 at 11:08am

Emma is fantastic in the role, a true star.
I saw it a month ago and feel Michelle was much weaker, but in her defense, she shared the stage with Alan. He is so mesmerizing that I felt Michelle was lost.
Leeds Hill played the MC yesterday and is no match for Alan. He is far too young and good looking for the role and not the least bit threatening, terribly miscast.

[starcatchers]

Posted: 11/14/14 at 1:04am

Saw this again tonight. I absolutely loved Stone's take on the role. To compare her performance to Michelle Williams is to compare apple juice to gin. Where Williams was delicate, fragile, and delightfully smart-mouthed, Stone is brassy and charming - until you get that first glimpse of the real Sally. I loved both performances, and am glad i was able to see them.

Leeds Hill was on again as the Emcee (and will be until Saturday). I didn't dislike him. He looks like a young Alan Cumming, and was very captivating. His age shows, though, and his accent is shaky at best.

[kadu335]

Posted: 11/14/14 at 1:34am

I seeing the show this Friday... can't hardly wait!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 11/16/14 at 11:34am

I saw the show last night and I thought Emma was incredible! She's not the best singer ever but she definitely pulled it off both vocally and acting-wise. Her acting at the end of the show was particularly great. I didn't see Williams so I can't compare the two, but it seems like I made the right decision by waiting for Emma.

Just so everyone knows, Emma does NOT pose for pictures anymore. Apparently she did it for her first few performances but changed her mind. But she does sign and is very sweet. Surprisingly, the stage door is not very crowded. I expected it to be a madhouse but it really wasn't.



Updated On: 11/16/14 at 11:34 AM

[musicman_bwayfan]

Posted: 11/16/14 at 12:55pm

Did Emma sign the items they are selling for BCEFA?

[mrs.shmenkman]

Posted: 11/17/14 at 9:57am

Could anyone tell me how obstructed the view is from the bar rail seats at the back of the orchestra? I'm kind of assuming I miss some or all of the band at the top of the stage but we all know what happens when you assume. Or am I better off with table seats at the back of the orchestra? I've only ever sat in the mezzanine at Studio 54 and for my birthday it's time to treat myself to orchestra seats.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 11/17/14 at 11:23am

I saw Emma on Friday night and was very impressed. I also thought she was fantastic. Her British accent was flawless and her acting was great. She is very different, I would say a 180 degree difference than Michelle Williams, who I also loved. To those of you hating on Michelle, there is no right or wrong way to play Sally Bowles.

mrs.shmenkman, there have been lots of threads on here about Cabaret seating. Use the search feature and try Studio 54 or Cabaret seating.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 11/17/14 at 11:47am

I liked Michelle, but I found everything about her Sally "fake," which is a valid interpretation. She was extremely nervous when questioned about where her accent was from and I took this to mean she wasn't even English especially since Michelle's accent was so spotty and/or exaggerated. Again, Sally can be almost anything and this "worked" but it made me questions everything. She was the first Sally I assumed was lying about being pregnant, etc. I'd have raved about her performance if she dropped the accent entirely on "Dedicate your book to me" letting us all know she was a phony (but a REAL phony).

Put me in the "Emma was brilliant" camp. She made so many strong, clear choices and I knew completely who her Sally was. The dramatic pause where people assumed she went up on a lyric is in a very clear place, she is taken aback when she says "The day she died..." and continues to keep singing. She also made a choice to be physically startled by the band when they pick up after the Elsie section. She doesn't treat the song like a dirge/mental breakdown like so many modern Sally's do, hers was colored with that, sure, but ultimately she chooses to keep living, to fiddle while Rome burns, to go like Elsie but full out knowing it's the wrong choice. I already have tickets to see her again and can't wait to see where she goes, this performance can only deepen.