Julie Andrews as Mame

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:01am

I don't know what made me think of this, but even at this point in her career, I think she could pull off the role. The score isn't that demanding and Julie has that regal elegance that Mame Dennis really requires.

Any thoughts?

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:03am

Good choice. I'm there.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 10:00am

Harvey Fierstein as Mame.

[mominator]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 10:08am

Count me in as well!! I'd love to see Ms. Andrews back on broadway ( Where she belongs!!)

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 10:16am

I would love to see Julie Andrews live on Broadway.

[NuggetMonkeys]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 11:44am

I am dead serious when I say this: harvey Fierstein would be a great MAME.

anyone else?

d.b.j

[Phantom2]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 11:47am

I already said that!

[mominator]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 12:02pm

Harvey Fierstein would be an awesome MAME, but I'd love to see Julie Andrews make a return to Broadway.

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 12:33pm

I would love to see Julie Andrews return also, but after hearing her try to get through VICTOR/VICTORIA, I don't think it's gonna happen ANYTIME soon.
I'm just looking forward to seeing Cher in the role next year!

[mominator]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 12:37pm

Really Matt_G? That could be great

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 12:40pm

Yeah, last I heard it's going to start filming soon. But that can change at anytime, obviously. I think Cher is a good choice. I would also love to see Bette Midler in the role!
-Matt

[junglered]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 1:14pm

Julie Andrews is one of my very favorites and I would love to see her return to Broadway. I definately would go to see her in "Mame" if she was tapped to play the title part.

[DAME]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 1:56pm

Horrible choice. No way. And I love Julie Andrews. But she is not Mame.

Updated On: 5/2/04 at 01:56 PM

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 2:50pm

Julie Andrews does need to come back to Broadway, but not in a revival. She needs a new show!

I said it before, and I'll say it again....Christine Baranski as Mame!

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 2:51pm

CHRISTINE BARANSKI AS ANYTHING!!!!

[absolutely fabulous]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 2:59pm

I think i would pass out if i ever got the chance to see Julie Andrews on stage. I'm such a huge fan and have been for years. I'm 19 now and i've loved her since i was 5. I watched (and still do watch) Sound of Music and Mary Poppins religiously. It would be amazing to have the opportunity to see her on stage or just in person. I honestly think i'd faint.

[aspiringguy715]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 3:03pm

julie andrews is amazing...

my high school theater director was julie andrews' assistant director when she did "the boyfriend" at the baystreet theater on long island by me. my director's husband does all the set design at the theater and i think they own a portion of it, but anyway she said julie andrews was amazingly nice and very good director.
ha she likes to brag that she gave Jules (as we teasingly call her around my director) a way to write notes that she thought up herself and passed on to Jules. we're still waiting for jules to stop by and watch our performances lol Updated On: 5/2/04 at 03:03 PM

[absolutely fabulous]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 3:12pm

A friend of mine has a signed picture of Ms Andrews. I've been insanely jealous of that. Her godmother has some relation to Julie Andrews. I think i'd die if i had that kind of connection to her.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 4:25pm

Well, aside from the fact that she's at least a decade too old for the role and that it's highly doubtful she could or would sing eight shows a week ever again (the last time she did, it destroyed her voice), she has the completely wrong sensibility for Mame Dennis. While she can be funny in the right role, she's too sweet, too regal and a bit too schoolmarmish for a part that requires a certain madcap energy and effortless insouciance. She's also never really demonstrated a particularly well-honed facility for tossing off one-liners, which is vital to the role. There also is a bit of a "tough broad" underneath the all the elegance in the two definitive portrayers -- Roz Russell and Angela Lansbury -- that wouldn't come easy to Andrews (if, in fact, she could summon it all).

It would great to see Andrews do a musical project again. What about Desiree Armfeldt in "A Little Night Music"? Sondheim wrote the role for an actress who can sort of sing (Glynis Johns was the original), rather than a singer who acts, intentionally restricting all of her music to roughly an octave or so (which is, I believe about what Andrews says she has left - her middle range is fine, but she says the high notes are all gone). She certainly could act the role well.

Other than that, she's probably better off doing something on film or television, where she'd have the freedom of multiple takes and access to all of the technical enhancements a music studio can provide to cover up the present deficiences in her singing. Wasn't there a rumor that she and Carol Burnett were thinking about doing another one of those "Julie & Carol" concerts? Hopefully, we'll see her again very soon.

[DBMaida]

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

Cher is NOT a good choice. Her voice is a little low like the dreadful film version was for poor ol Lucy. And Bette, well, she's hardly the type of actress you would sympathize in any given situation. I think they need to stop rethinking these "classic" and bring something new from the theatre. What's next, remakes of the Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind?
Take a chance on WICKED, what an incredable job Tim Burton would do to take that into a film, or Side Show for that matter. People - get with the times. There IS a reason we call these films "classics" - leave them alone and bring something new to us. UGH!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 5:45pm

All of the best Mame's have been truly elegant ladies. In fact the more elegant they are, the funnier the play becomes. Yes, Roz Russell and Angela Lansbury are the first to come to mind, but think of other successful Mame's: Greer Garson, Bea Lillie (oh how I wish I had seen THAT!), Celeste Holme, and Ginger Rogers. The less successful interpretations of the role were the ones that tried to be comical. That just doesn't work in this role.

Julie Andrews fits in with all of them and could really prove to be memorable in the role.

As for Harvey, I love him dearly, but he'd make a better Vera Charles. Think of that voice and timing in "Bosom Buddies"!!!!

[MusicMan]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 5:55pm

I'm with you all the way, MargoChanning, re: Julie as Mame. Have to disagree with you, however, about Julie as Desiree. Putting the age consideration aside, Julie as world-weary courtesan/actress? Not on your starched linens.

[jo]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:22pm

I had seen the movie TEA WITH MUSSOLINI and I thought Cher would make a good MAME ! Soignee, sophisticated and with a heart of gold

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:24pm

Marc Shaiman as Mame

[Matt_G]

Posted: 5/2/04 at 9:32pm

"What's next, remakes of the Wizard of Oz and Gone With the Wind?"

Actually, yes. They are remaking THE WIZARD OF OZ with Drew Barrymore if you can believe it.