Imelda Staunton & Jenna Russell to lead HELLO DOLLY in London — Page 5

Feeling the need to stand up for Imelda.

The Imelda opprobrium seems to date - after decades of near Imelda idolatry - only from her Gypsy shot for tv. I

I saw her as Rose on stage. Like most, i was awed by her, in her complete grasp and found the show light years ahead of every Gypsy production I've ever seen - which btw are many, including with Daly, Lavin, Lupone and Buckley. Staunton's stage performance was almost if not completely universally acclaimed. It was also fierce, large (!) and probably way ill-suited to a live from theatre tv shoot.

Like many, I'm not exactly excited about her as Dolly (to the extent I could get at all excited about any new Dolly... that would prob. take a Finneran, Krakowski, Collette or Lillias White... but, hey, that's me, one guys casting daydreams).

But I have far too much respect for her to remain silent when I see her taken to bits on broadwayworld.

It’s bland and lazy - but I guess we can’t expect much from a two month run. I wish this had been a transfer of the 2017 Broadway revival.

Updated On: 11/2/23 at 12:49 PM

I’m the last person to defend Staunton mainly because of my bitter jealousy that whenever she steps on stage and croaks out a Sondheim score she seems to get praised for it (Gypsy, Follies) whereas Bernadette is trashed despite singing circles around her. However, like Tveit in Sweeney I am optimistic. I’m sure Staunton can put on a big smile and seem like a warm old grandma. I guess you might ask why Betty Buckley couldn’t make it work and it’s a good point - but even Staunton seems warmer than Buckley to me. Buckley is just too intense, too dark. And it feels like it comes from a natural place. Staunton always feels like an actor and I don’t for one second believe that her performance in Gypsy or Follies comes from anywhere except the rehearsal room. Maybe it won’t feel natural like Bernadette strutting down those stairs, but I suspect Staunton won’t give up until she proves how god-damn charming and funny she can act - and I’m sure it’ll apparently end up being the newest coup of theatre performance history we MUST see!!11. And we’ll all have to pretend Staunton was the person who ‘reinvented’ Dolly by making her charming and funny for once :p.

I wonder why they are not using Jerry Zaks? His production in NYC was thrilling........

binau said: "I’m the last person to defend Staunton mainly because of my bitter jealousy that whenever she steps on stage and croaks out a Sondheim score she seems to get praised for it (Gypsy, Follies) whereas Bernadette is trashed despite singing circles around her."



I love Bernadette, she was practically the one who introduced me to musical theatre. However i really do not think her vocal performance in Gypsy or Follies was anywhere near "singing circles around her"



Her vocal has been deteriorating so bad since AGYG. She is (sadly) actually the reason I cannot listen to recording of the last Bway Follies revival : /

Exactly. I’m happy for anyone to hold their own personal opinion or course because I have recognised over the years that there is something about Bernadette’s sound especially post Annie get your gun and ESPECIALLY post Gypsy that is polarising. - but if you really listen closely to Bernadette singing ‘in buddy’s eyes’ and ‘too many mornings’ in particular compared to Staunton there is no comparison. Bernadette is a genuine singer who can act even if aged - Staunton is very much an actor who sings. You can hear this especially in the final verse of ‘in buddy’s eyes’ (not to mention Too Many Mornings of course where Staunton doesn’t attempt the notes). Bernadette really captured the nuance, subtext and vulnerability of Sally essentially lying to Ben through her vocal performance. I think Staunton attempts to make similar choices but doesn’t quite have the follow through. (And I saw both live too!).


Not that any of this matters for a score such as Hello, Dolly - but I think again her vulnerability in ‘Before the parade passes by’ was particularly unusual and unique - and not something that anyone can just do.

Having now lived in London for a while and seeing a lot of theatre in London and New York, one of the biggest differences in terms of musicals is that the vocal standards for performers is a little bit higher in NYC. I can only think of a small minority of performances that truly would meet the vocal standards of New York City - Nicole S in Sunset is surprisingly one of them, which is why I can’t wait to see how New York react to this and I suspect it will be much more positive than the Cabaret revival or other recent transfers Jamie Lloyd and Nicole have really worked on every note she sings to have the maximum impact

Updated On: 5/18/24 at 09:04 PM