Imelda Staunton to Star as Sally in West End Follies

Thoughts:

* She is in every Sondheim show (Sweeney Todd; Gypsy; Now Follies!). Yawn. I realise I'm a bit hypocritical given I want Bernadette to have done the same triad.

* There might be a chance it will be filmed, which is good (but a shame they missed the 2011 revival)

* People are quick to criticise Bernadette's vocal ability, but Imelda Staunton croaked through Sweeney and Gypsy (she is not a great singer). Am interested to know how she will handle the role vocally. No doubt she'll croak through the role and yet still be praised for it

Updated On: 9/29/16 at 07:48 PM

I wouldn't exactly say she "croaked" through Gypsy...I saw her live (though I haven't seen the video) and thought she was wonderful. Not as much of a powerhouse as Patti LuPone, but who is?

Anyway, I'm excited for this. She will certainly act the hell out of it. Also, a link for those who care about such things:

https://twitter.com/BazBam/status/781628770662879232

I'd buy a ticket.

Has Dominic Cooke ever directed a musical before?

Bernadette sounded quite lovely during the soprano moments. Imelda will not. And people got on Bernadette for playing a 49-year-old, but she looked the age. Imelda certainly looks 60.

Updated On: 9/29/16 at 08:45 PM

It's not West End

I think she will likely be splendid. If Judith Ivey and Bernadette could handle the score, she should be able to as well- it's really not much a soprano role as written. And whatever misgivings I had about the taped GYPSY, she is an extraordinary actress live. And Janie Dee is so divine in everything she does. This is being presented by the RNT so it will finally be a production of FOLLIES with a budget big enough to do the show justice.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3814968/Follies-tempt-Imelda-National-Actress-returning-wooed-artistic-director-BAZ-BAMIGBOYE.html

The Daily Mail is reporting she said this will be followed by the Broadway transfer of Gypsy in 2018.

Don't quite understand all the hate for Staunton or her Gypsy on this board. I've only seen the videos of her three big showstoppers, but they're all pretty damn incredible. Extremely excited to see it when it comes to Broadway.

And I SO wish I lived in London and could go see this production. Staunton and the National doing my favorite musical sounds like heaven!

Often wish I lived in London so I could catch stuff like this! Thought Staunton was extremely successful in her portrayal of Umbridge in the Potter movies - it's an unlikeable character that I wasn't a fan of in the books, but from a performance perspective, she definitely had an interesting take on the part! Realized years later, well after I saw Order of the Phoenix, that she's had a wonderful stage career as well - Gypsy, Sweeney - and it seems like she's a highly sought out talent over in the West End!

Updated On: 9/30/16 at 12:38 AM

Her Gypsy performance just shouldn't have been filmed. It was a performance to experience live and not have close ups etc. I don't think there were any complaints about her acting before the video was released.

Isn't Imelda Staunton also kinda short to have been a Follies chorus girl?

She has zero vulnerability. This is going to be a Sally-who-just-escaped-from-the-loony-bin.

Note to directors: Sally only asks herself if she is losing her mind out of unrequited love for Ben. There is no reason to take the question LITERALLY.

I blame Liza.

imeldasturn said: "It's not West End"



Yup- not West End, it's the National. But nobody here knows the difference.