Imelda Staunton as Madame Rose- Page 2

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 7:11pm

Please, do you really think this is singing? I think it's shouting

It's Mrs. Lovett, desperate to sell a pie while holding onto her sense of humor for all its worth.

I don't care if she hits the notes perfectly. GOD, how boring! Unless she can do both. I even think Angela Lansbury sounded like a Cockney Edith Bunker in the original show.

And it was brilliant.

[DeNada]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 7:15pm

What does the National have to do with anything? The National last did Sweeney in 1994 with Julia McKenzie, who also gave an excellent performance as Lovett. Having just listened to Julia McKenzie AND Sheila Hancock (two of London's major Lovetts) I don't think Imelda Staunton's much worse a singer - while she does speak/shout a lot of the lines it's clear she's got the vocal quality when she sings.

If the National really won everything just for being the National, than Kate Fleetwood would have won Best Actress In A Musical for London Road this year in a role that demanded she sing "poorly".

[Addison D.]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 7:29pm

I know this thread is about Imelda Staunton--about whom I'm clearly on record as a long-time and ardent admirer--but it seems like I rarely encounter anyone who feels as strongly as I do about Tyne Daley's Mama Rose, so I thought I would just add my voice to B12B's on that score.

I have to say, too, that I never quite framed the idea in my mind as neatly as you did, but I agree--I don't think I WANT to hear a pitch-perfect, "beautiful " voice coming from Mama Rose. What Tyne gave us was the frisson of feeling that we were watching Rose brought to life in front of our eyes (and ears)--this is what she actually sounds like, not an auto-tuned Avatar. It's the aural version of the dissatisfaction I felt watching the inexpressibly lovely Michelle Pfeiffer play the so-plain-she's-given-up-on-Love Frankie. Who could object to looking at Michelle Pfeiffer--she's perfect. Except I didn't WANT perfect, I wanted Kathy Bates.

EDIT: And, since you showed me yours--I'll show you mine. I was 26 then, too. Which is so perplexing, as I could SWEAR I still am 26...

Updated On: 8/8/12 at 07:29 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 7:46pm

Addison, we are STILL 26, I swear! :)

So glad we're kindred spirits on this!

It may be a case of "you had to be there" for others, or maybe it's a "sign of the times." I choose the former, since my "time" is always the best time.

[westcoast_wannabe]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 7:47pm

Best12Bars no list of incredible performances given by less than incredible singers is complete with out Strtitch in Company.

Not that your list claimed to be complete I just wanted to show some love for la Stritch who would have made a fierce Rose in her day.

[Addison D.]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 7:53pm

So true. In fact--it's the BIG time of our lives!

Edit.

Updated On: 8/8/12 at 07:53 PM

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 7:57pm

F*ck off, bitches, I was FIFTEEN when I saw Daly's Rose! Back to Shady Pines with you!

Just kidding. I didn't realize you were so youthful, besty! Totally in my dating wheelhouse. May I call you daddy?

I don't really have any hard and fast rules when it comes to quality of voice matching a particular role. If you happen to be able to sing the hell out of something AND act the hell out of it, everyone wins. But I'd rather hear a few bleats and croaks and buy every minute of it than a very pretty sound and not care.

That said, I came away from Staunton's Lovett surprised by the power and nuance in her voice. Was it always pretty? No. Was it always thrilling? YES. And, though I normally respect other's right to be wrong, anyone who walked out of the Adelphi (I think that's the right theatre) without knowing deep down that Staunton's performance was one of the greatest things any of us will ever see EVER, then they're just too stupid to be allowed to roam freely. See my previous reference to Shady Pines.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 8:01pm

Absolutely, Stritch in Company!

And Preston in Music Man, and many of the gangsters in Guys and Dolls, etc. (Although, I think Sky could have a great voice and not care about it. He is already incredibly smart and not remotely a typical gangster. If he sings well, it can work for the character as yet another "talent" he possesses among so many.)

And see, Barbara Cook as Marian works for me. First of all, she's a music teacher (with some training) living in a small town, repressed and focused on her "small life." She could easily have an undiscovered glorious voice and (for me) it would work for the character.

That's what I mean. It's about believability for the role.

Do I think a Rose could have a glorious voice? Yes, but she'll have to make it work for the CHARACTER, not just for the songs. I need to see and understand why that Rose wouldn't have been discovered as a major star. Was she lacking self-confidence? Or drive (not Rose!) ... or circumstances? (No, Rose clearly made her OWN circumstances). See? It's not as easy to be believable in the part if you can sing it brilliantly. Especially since Rose so clearly (if privately) wanted to be a big star.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 8:04pm

Oh, Robbie, you may call me Daddy or whatever you like, as long as you call me.

I'm thrilled, flattered, and blushed just a little now.

Did I mention younger chaps with brains, humor, and tawent totally turn me on?

But I digress ...

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 8:24pm

For some reason, because of all your family stories about the Golden Age of Hollywood, I just kind of imagined you in your palazzo waiting to for the undertaker to come and bury your monkey.

Now, I'm picturing a Clooney/Pitt mix.

And to keep it on topic, Clooney for Staunton's Herbie!!

[Addison D.]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 8:27pm

I've pictured a Clooney/Pitt mix soooooo many times...

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 9:02pm

Well, I heard that clip of her singing "The Worst Pies In London." I'll be honest. I'm not impressed. Mostly, it seemed she was speaking the song, rather than actually singing it. She does give it her all, it seems. I personally am of the opinion that I don't settle for an "adequate voice." I start at "good" and hopefully an artist's voice goes up to "fantastic." Just my opinion. from RC in Austin, Texas

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 9:47pm

For some reason, because of all your family stories about the Golden Age of Hollywood, I just kind of imagined you in your palazzo waiting to for the undertaker to come and bury your monkey.

Well, here's the thing ... my parents were older than most of my friends' parents when I was growing up. Probably because Mom had a career as an ingenue on Broadway and in TV before she decided to have kids. There's nothing unusual about that today, but back in the '60s, it was more common for women to start families with their husbands in their early 20s.

So there's a little bit of "space" between me and my folks. Then my grandparents on both sides were also older! My dad's dad (the exec. from Warner Bros.) was already in his 40s when my father was born. Again, slightly unusual for that era.

When I was growing up, and throughout my life, I've known many people from the "Golden Era," thanks to my relatives and their friends, but I was a wee bairn, you see?

Although, I do have my own personal Norma Desmond moments ... and I am rapidly approaching her age now ... I still ain't there quite yet!

Updated On: 8/8/12 at 09:47 PM

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/8/12 at 11:31pm

Saw Imelda as Lovett. She can't sing it like some but was EASILY the best Lovett I've ever seen, and the Kent production is my favorite of all Sweeney's. So I will be first across the pond to see a Staunton Rose.

Oddly enough, on that same trip, I went up north to Leicester to see Caroline O'Connor as Rose in the Curve's "Gypsy". Close to Tyne Daly's acting (no one is Tyne's equal in my eyes however) and singing it amazingly, O'connor's might have been a definitive performance if the production itself had not been so cheap and mundanely directed.

[ComingUpRoses2]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 12:18am

I couldn't be more thrilled. I, too, have a feeling that her performance will be more of the wonderful Tyne Daly mold than a Merman impression. I'm just fine with that.

I never saw Tyne live, but someone used to have an entire bootleg of her production on YouTube a few years back. I watched the entire thing with my jaw on the floor. She was simply the best Rose I've ever seen. Her singing was thin, but I didn't care. She WAS Rose. I've never believed a performer that much in my life.

[Skywalker3]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 6:37am

Imelda's Worst Pie's is supposed to sound ugly! The way she plays Miss Lovett needs a raspy voice. Its a lonely woman in an old pie shop.
Her voice changes trough the show as does the character.

Michael Ball got a great applause. But Imelda got the biggest!
She was just amazing!

If she's gonna play Rose, I'm there!

[HistoryBoy2]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 7:45am

Staunton's Lovett was a revelation. I love Lansbo as much as the next man, but Staunton was the only Lovett I've seen that made me nearly cry at the end of By the Sea with how incredibly real the vision was.

As for the singing, she was absolutely fine. All I want is for an actor to sing the correct pitch in the correct rhythm. Anything else is a bonus.

[algy]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 8:41am

"Saw Imelda as Lovett. She can't sing it like some but was EASILY the best Lovett I've ever seen, and the Kent production is my favorite of all Sweeney's. So I will be first across the pond to see a Staunton Rose.

Oddly enough, on that same trip, I went up north to Leicester to see Caroline O'Connor as Rose in the Curve's "Gypsy". Close to Tyne Daly's acting (no one is Tyne's equal in my eyes however) and singing it amazingly, O'connor's might have been a definitive performance if the production itself had not been so cheap and mundanely directed. "

I also saw both. I saw the UK tour of the Doyle Sweeney and *hated* it - I left wondering why all of you lot loved the piece so, and was really sceptical about seeing the show again, but figured it deserved a 2nd chance. Boy was I not disappointed. Staunton was amazing and Ball was great. Plus I nearly ran into Colin Firth (literally) in the bar before the show (although the fact that his son (who was with him) is only a few years younger than me was a little bit of a downer)

I'd never seen Gypsy - and would definately go and see it again. I agree that the show was cheap, but O'Connor was amazing. Having seen her with the John Wilson Orchestra at the Proms last year, I thought she'd be good but, just wow. For all its cheapness though, the Curve is doing some interesting stuff - I'm planning on seeing Finding Neverland there in a few months, and possibly Hello Dolly (which I've never seen) with O'Connor at Christmas. I've also got my fingers crossed that she's among the singers with John Wilson at the Proms this year alongside Seth McFarlane.

[lupone76]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 8:43am

A well sung Rose adds a certain sizzle to the role as seen with Lu Pone. In my opinion she was the best sung Rose. Tyne Daly was in my pinion the best acted Rose which gave the show a greater impact. Bernadette was basically a miscast deer in headlights. Can't wait for the Babs film remake cause she well most likely sing and act the role amazingly. As far as Imelda I have no clue.

Updated On: 8/9/12 at 08:43 AM

[MusicalBoy]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 8:46am

I always felt LuPone's Rose felt right, as she was too big and brash to make it on Vaudeville, but the problem with Bernadette's casting was that her not being on Vaudeville was inexplicable, by all accounts she was an adult Dainty June, and perfect for Vaudeville.

Updated On: 8/9/12 at 08:46 AM

[theeatah]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 8:53am

@algy Kim Criswell (when's she going to get to do Gypsy?) is set to do the upcoming Wilson Proms, I've heard. So no O'Connor this time around.

@best12bars I could understand your viewpoint if Rose was singing a la Sally Bowles, i.e. mostly "onstage".

[algy]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 10:59am

theeatah - *Cries* oh boo. I was really hoping for some more Caroline. Guess I'll have to go see Hello Dolly for sure.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 8/9/12 at 12:00pm

"Well, I heard that clip of her singing "The Worst Pies In London." I'll be honest. I'm not impressed."

I understand that. And that's a valid opinion of the recording. But what she did on that stage (including how she sang it) was better than anything I've ever seen any other actress do. Ever (save for Natasha Richardson). Yes...even better than Lupone.