I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

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I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 2:39am

Here's a link to the Donmar Production of "Company" which was televised on the BBC in 1996. The star is Adrian Lester, star of the great TV series "Hustle" as Bobby.

Almost the whole show is up right now.

I can't make my mind up if I like this rendition of the song or not. Maybe's it's his strange, almost Jamaican accent at the beginning. He manages to pull off a stunning ending to the song, I admit that....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc_n1KX1bWc

http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=972787#3631451 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=963561#3533883 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955158#3440952 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954269#3427915 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955012#3441622 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954344#3428699

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 3:00am

I think he's absolutely atrocious. Laughably bad. He sounds like Kermit the Frog. I rather listen to the Boyd Gaines cast recording (I own both recordings).
From what I understand, Lester is a fantastic actor, but I can't help but think he seems out of his league based on all of the clips I've seen.

Updated On: 2/18/10 at 03:00 AM

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 3:30am

My thoughts as well. He's wonderful on "Hustle" and has a huge list of credits but this...

And the girl who sings "Another Hundred People" is clearly a graduate of The Leo Gorcey Academy of Drama.

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 9:36am

Ah, but on stage it was incredible, and Adrian Lester was brilliant. I'll never forget Sondheim the night I was there (I think it was the first preview) with tears all over his face. He really loved it.

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 10:44am

I agree with LJAY...This rendition is painful to watch...not just that he is woefully not up to task in his singing abilities, but also his amateurish over-emoting takes the character of Bobby way over into "pitiful victim land", which can be a real turn-off

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 10:49am

I've watched that video many, many times and I'm still torn over my thoughts on it. I do agree that Adrian Lester sounds like Kermit, which completely takes me out every time I listen to him sing the score, particularly Being Alive, but I do think a lot of the choices, particularly on Mendes' part, are very interesting and even rather brilliant.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 10:51am

I'm sorry, I can't listen to more than a few seconds of that without laughing. All I can picture is Kermit the Frog singing to the other muppets.

"It's Phantom meets Hamlet... Phamlet!"

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 11:22am

Whatever you think of Adrian Lester here he's a superb actor, currently playing Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in the West End and more than holding his own opposite James Earl Jones.

Faced with these Loreleis, what man can moralize!

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 11:47am

Is this an SNL skit???

#10

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 11:55am

It's a valid choice- Kermit IS Bobby- surrounded by people who "love" him but no one who really LOVES him.

#11

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 11:59am

Poor Kermie.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

#12

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 12:10pm

A histrionic performance with a funny singing voice? Wait - WHICH production of Company are we talking about?

#13

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 12:16pm

Shut up, I'll hit you.

Also, can our next revival of Company please be a MUPPET COMPANY? I think that would be so amazing and win lots of Tonys.

A work of art is an invitation to love.

Updated On: 2/18/10 at 12:16 PM

#14

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 1:00pm

The way Beaker sums up his life with Dr. Bunson Honeydew when he sings "Sorry/Grateful"? well, it breaks my heart.

#15

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 1:03pm

A histrionic performance with a funny singing voice? Wait - WHICH production of Company are we talking about?

Grrr...ARF! ARF!...WITH PRAISE!!

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#16

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 2:03pm

It's not hard to hold your own against James Earl Jones in the current Cat. He is, of course, very very good, but not as brilliant as he could be if, y'know, he enunciated his lines for those of us who'd never seen or read this play before.

Keep casting Muppet Company y'all! I think you could be onto a winner!

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

#17

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 2:24pm

Janice accompanies herself on guitar for a stunning "Ladies Who Lunch."

#18

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 2:27pm

Thank you Joe for the much-needed laughs!

A work of art is an invitation to love.

#19

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/18/10 at 2:29pm

I check in to Broadwayworld and see fifteen replies to my thread and I open it up to read the learned discourse and it's all...about....muppets...

Sigh.....

Avenue Q, I could understand, but Muppets?

#20

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/19/10 at 11:09am

So you'd like a Muppet Company, eh?

Well then, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiW0bw2TEc4#t=2m43s

"It's Phantom meets Hamlet... Phamlet!"

#21

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/19/10 at 8:55pm

The impressive part is how you got the youtube clip to start TWO MINUTES AND FORTY-THREE SECONDS IN. Bravo, sir.

#22

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/19/10 at 9:04pm

His vowels are absolutely atrocious!

Rant, Wickud, Rant, Wickud, Rant! We're not gonna pay Rant! 'Cause everythink is Wickud!

"Leave Walt Disney Theatricals new sparkling production of The Little Mermaid on Broadway alone!!!"

lakezurich will be played by Paul Groves in the BWW musical

#23

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/19/10 at 9:07pm

Muppets-schmuppets ... I appreciated your Leo Gorcey comment, allofmylife.

LOL

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#24

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/19/10 at 9:21pm

"Something is caught in my throat,
Something that doesn't sound right,
Some people thought this was good,
and some said it's SH*TE,
but still I got cast,
despite that I BITE on "Being Alive."

BEEEEEEEING ALIIIIIIIVE ....

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

Updated On: 2/19/10 at 09:21 PM

#25

I can't make my mind up if I like this or not

Posted: 2/19/10 at 9:23pm

^^lol, bravo best12bars! That was great.

The impressive part is how you got the youtube clip to start TWO MINUTES AND FORTY-THREE SECONDS IN. Bravo, sir.

Hahaha, thanks! That's a little trick I learned a while ago! You just add the time you want the clip to start onto the end of the Youtube address. For example, for that clip I put #t=2m43s at the end. If you want it to start 30 seconds in, it would be #t=0m30s.

"It's Phantom meets Hamlet... Phamlet!"

Updated On: 2/19/10 at 09:23 PM

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