I Want a Revival of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS- Page 2

[Kad]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 12:29pm

The Transport Group revival a few years demonstrated how tricky this show is to pull off well these days. You don't just need a great Winnifred, you need pretty much everyone to be great, funny character actors. You also need a director who's really adept with this sort of vaudeville-esque tone.

Jackie Hoffman was wonderful, but every time she wasn't onstage, the revival deflated and became an unfunny slog.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 12:56pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I love it. But then again, I loved the whole production and never understood the negative reviews it got."

I'm the same way with the Sweet Charity revival cast album with Christina Applegate. I know people here hated that production, and going back and listening to the original cast album I can sort of understand, but that production was my introduction to the show and I just enjoy listening to those actors and those orchestrations a little more. Not sorry.

[GreasedLightning]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 3:13pm

Yes. yes. yes. x100. This is just what I need, Jordan.

[Alessio2]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 4:01pm

Agreed! Love this show....and agreed, that Kathleen Marshal movie version is awful...and some terrible casting choices.

[NOWaWarning]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 7:08pm

I love this show. It’s musical comedy heaven as far as I’m concerned. This would probably need a big name attached, but I’d love to see Bonnie Milligan or Leslie Kritzer as Winnifred. So many possibilities for the queen, too.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 7:43pm

I just can’t see this getting a big, Broadway revival. Ever. Unless a mega-star wants to do it, and it would have to be a huge Bette, Hugh name, because no one would see it after her departure. The revival with SJP was a financial failure, only running 6 months from its first preview. It is a slight-but-cute show, which was a modest hit in its original run because Carol Burnett got star-is-born reviews, and because it opened in simpler times.

Maybe a small, off-Broadway production will have to do???

There are a lot of shows I would love to see revived, but I have resigned myself to the OCR and memories, because Broadway is just too expensive to revive musicals that were only modest hits in the first place. This doesn’t seem like the type of show that would warrant a precious Roundabout slot.

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 7:43pm

I just can’t see this getting a big, Broadway revival. Ever. Unless a mega-star wants to do it, and it would have to be a huge Bette, Hugh name, because no one would see it after her departure. The revival with SJP was a financial failure, only running 6 months from its first preview. It is a slight-but-cute show, which was a modest hit in its original run because Carol Burnett got star-is-born reviews, and because it opened in simpler times.

Maybe a small, off-Broadway production will have to do???

There are a lot of shows I would love to see revived, but I have resigned myself to the OCR and memories, because Broadway is just too expensive to revive musicals that were only modest hits in the first place. This doesn’t seem like the type of show that would warrant a precious Roundabout slot.

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 8:41pm

Rachel Bloom is your Winifred.

[Scarlet Leigh]

Posted: 5/2/20 at 10:04pm

I mentioned this in a topic on here years and years ago that my ideal revival of this show would star Sutton Foster.... and Josh Gad. She is made for the part and I just love the idea of Dauntless being a total dorky goofy ball that is like socially awkward because he's never been allowed to grow up or even socialize much because his mother is so protective.

[rattleNwoolypenguin]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 1:15am

Yawn

[Loopin’theloop]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 5:13am

It’s a sweet show and I have a real soft spot (Very Soft Shoes is hideous though) for it but I agree with what’s been said above, it’s not going to get a commercial revival without a huge star.

She’s not the huge star a revival would need but if Kate McKinnon can sing, she would be perfect as Fred

[Owen22]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 1:59pm

Jordan Catalano said: "I love it. But then again, I loved the whole production and never understood the negative reviews it got."

The problem was that Sarah Jessica Parker wasn't a clown. It takes a specific type of actress to succeed in this role. Jackie Hoffman, though a little too old, was perfectly suited.

[George in DC]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 4:59pm

Jackie Hoffman was great in the part, too old but who cared, she was great.

 

Sutton Foster is sooo wrong for the part. Winnifred should not look, sound or act like a traditional princess stereotype -  and Ms Foster is princess like in every way.

She's not a major name, but I would cast Beanie Feldstein in the lead.

[sondheimfan2]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 7:53pm

I used to love this show as a kid (probably because it was the first show I did), but I think we all remember it better than it is. I agree with those criticize the show for its book. Anytime that Winifred isn’t on stage, it lags. And she only has one number in the second act. The show really only made it as a vehicle for Carol Burnett. SJP was all wrong for the revival; she’s not a belter. I can’t see this getting a major revival. 

Updated On: 5/3/20 at 07:53 PM

[markypoo]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 8:06pm

And striking characters dumb - IMHO - is a bit harsh.

[cwrdlylyn]

Posted: 5/3/20 at 8:07pm

I was gonna suggest Rachel Bloom and see someone beat me to the punch, so I second that motion!  

And if Carol Burnett is up to it, she gets first dibs on doing Aggravaine again in my books.

[Loopin’theloop]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 5:10am

George in DC said: "Jackie Hoffman was great in the part, too old but who cared, she was great.



Sutton Foster is sooo wrong for the part. Winnifred should not look, sound or act like a traditional princess stereotype - and Ms Foster is princess like in every way.

She's not a major name, but I would cast Beanie Feldstein in the lead."

Winifred is an atypical Princess desperate to marry, I actually prefer her case older 

 

 

[George in DC]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 9:50am

Loopin’theloop said: "George in DC said: "Jackie Hoffman was great in the part, too old but who cared, she was great.



Sutton Foster is sooo wrong for the part. Winnifred should not look, sound or act like a traditional princess stereotype - and Ms Foster is princess like in every way.

She's not a major name, but I would cast Beanie Feldstein in the lead."

Winifred is an atypical Princess desperate to marry, I actually prefer her case older"

 

OK, I can see why. But remember, Carol Burnett was only 26 when she originated the part.

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 10:51am

You do realize that this is a Faerie Tale, right? Not a documentary film chronicling a real 21 year old princess from the swamp.

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 5/4/20 at 12:31pm

At this point, I think I'd rather see Sutton and Christian Borle star in an economically responsible Broadway revival of "I DO, I DO.'  (Truly! I love this score).

 

Beanie Feldstein does sound like ideal casting for MATTRESS.