Glenn/Petula — Page 2

"Sunset" is actually one of my favorite shows, and I went a few times to the Broadway production. I saw Glenn Close, Betty Buckley, Elaine Paige, as well as understudies Karen Mason and Maureen Moore. I also saw John Barrowman for his one week stint as Joe Gillis with Betty Buckley.

Each actress brought something different. Close was over the top (in a great way), Buckley was vulerable, Paige was funny, Mason was haughty and Moore was forgettable. For me, Paige was the best (although you can maybe tell from my user name I am biased). She sang the hell out of the role (in a way Close could not), and it was a great thrill for me to see her on the Broadway boards.

I do have many cd's of this - including ones I did not see like Diahann Caroll, Petula Clark, Debra Byrne and Faith Brown. I think Byrne does an excellent job on the "big" numbers as well.

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I saw Glenn Close, Betty Buckley, and Elaine Paige as Norma, on Broadway. Vocally and dramatically speaking, BB and EP were phenomenal. GC often had to resort to falsetto when singing, but it worked with her high camp portrayal.

Mason was a standby, not an understudy.

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There have been been some great Normas but who was the outstanding Joe Gillis?

I had only seen John Barrowman - he played the role in the Betty Buckley and Elaine Paige versions at the West End. His characterization wasn't as strong as I had expected it to be ( vocally and acting -wise). Kevin Anderson and Alan Campbell - I had only heard them in the OCRs - I found their interpretations rather forgettable. I had only seen glimpses of Hugh Jackman as Joe in the Melbourne TV documentary - and I thought he was a bit too young then. But his singing of TOO MUCH IN LOVE TO CARE was great. I think he is of the correct age to do the role full justice if the show is made into a movie now. Vocally speaking - I was very impressed with Michael Ball's interpretation of the role in the recent BBC conert version.

The role is actually almost equal to the other lead role ( William Holden gave us a memorable Joe Gillis in the film classic) - and the show is really presented in his perspective - except the Norma Desmond role is such a stunner for any actress!

I only got to see two Joes: Alan Campbell's and John Barrowman's. Of the two, I preferred Campbell's Joe Gillis. I didn't like Kevin Anderson's recording at all.