Let Her Entertain You: the LuPone-Gypsy Story — Page 3

SWEENEY was my first time seeing her live onstage, and I have never seen anyhthing like it in my life. She gained a forever fan.

Look, there are other divas here who everyone loves who are not so much fun to be around on a daily basis. However, they make sure they come off as saintly/adorable/funny/all of the above in any publicity they do, and at the stage door. LuPone just let it all hang out. I may not want to be around her on a daily basis - I don't know - but I do know that she can be one of the most amazing things ever to step onto a stage.

If you want to rip her apart for this interview, go ahead. But just realize that there are others who are not as honest with their feelings. Just know that you don't REALLY know what any of them are like, no matter how sweet they are at the stage door and/or endearing in press appearances/publications.

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I have to disagree with you Sean. While I hated LuPone's performance in the Sweeney concert (now THAT was a bad copy of Lansbury) I loved her performance in the revival. She reinvented the role for me and I didn't see any traces of Lansbury in her performance.

And, while I did not see Lansbury live, I was familar with her performance before I knew who LuPone was (I was a huge Sweeney fan before the revival). I've seen her performance countless times on the DVD, and I know it in other ways. And while Lansbury can't be topped, LuPone did a very respectable job as Mrs. Lovett.

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I saw GYPSY last night and I just wanted to point out that in Patti's bio in the Playbill, she does not list EVITA, her Tony Award, nor does she list SUNSET BOULEVARD.

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Guys, you're all entitled to your opinion, but IMHO there was little difference beyond the superficial. Sorry. I didnt find her performance all that "amazing" (as we seem to describe everything around here) or all that revelatory.

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"Evita was the worst experience of my life,” she said. “I was screaming my way through a part that could only have been written by a man who hates women. And I had no support from the producers, who wanted a star performance onstage but treated me as an unknown backstage. It was like Beirut, and I fought like a banshee.”

That's why she stayed in the part for two years? And she was only doing 6 shows a week.

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Now it's PATTY LUPONE IS GOING TO AMAZING IN GYPSY!!! --

- You could at least spell her name right.

BWW won't be the only ones to hype her GYPSY performance. Her reviews were unbelievable at Ravinia. And I think they'll be even better for the City Center run.

Are you at least going to give her a chance in GYPSY? Or are you going to keep making assumptions about her performance?

PS. You only started here last year (2006.) You missed the WICKED hype by a few years. Unless you had another user name - you definitely missed all the WICKED stuff.

Updated On: 7/10/07 at 06:18 PM

I have to go with those who say she isn't a good actress. I saw her in Mamet's Old Neighborhood where she was required to break down sobbing. It was the most mechanical thing I've ever seen. Shoulders shaking, face in hands, breathing was heaving, etc

That being said, I think Patti gets bored very easily and if she's not challenged, doesn't go the distance in creating her characters.

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Now, SeanMartin, I shouldn't even try this because I know where it's going, but whatever.

I'm getting a lot of hate from you, as much as you claim you don't hate her. You've come into this thread seemingly trying to convince others that a performance that you've yet to see is overrated. And, as I recall, you've stated multiple times how much you despised Patti in Ugly Betty. If you think she's a mediocre actress can't you just say that once and leave it be? I really don't give a SH*T how you feel about her, but do you have to keep going at it?

And Goth, I'm suprised by that. Patti got some of the best reviews of her career for The Old Neighborhood.

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Updated On: 7/10/07 at 07:52 PM

Sean, you're wrong, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!

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>> I'm getting a lot of hate from you, as much as you claim you don't hate her. You've come into this thread seemingly trying to convince others that a performance that you've yet to see is overrated. And, as I recall, you've stated multiple times how much you despised Patti in Ugly Betty.

Twice, if memory serves. And it was an awful performance: it was about as thin and stereotypical as one could get with the kind of role, so sorry if you felt it deserves an Emmy nomination.

Insofar as "getting a lot of hate from me"... :: sigh ::. That's your projection, sorry. I dont hate her. I think she's overhyped and undertalented, but because that flies in the face of the BWW Party Line, I hateher. Is that how it works? If so, here's a clue for you guys. Broadway in general these days is overhyped and undertalented, so it's not surprising that a performer like PattI (just to make sure I dont misspell again, lest someone see that as some kind of terminal insult to the Grest Woman's stature) should be seen as a benchmark for all that is Grand and Glorious about this particular artform.

Convincing anyone of anything around here is a fool's errand at best -- you folks have to finally figure out for yourselves that WICKED is a mediocre show and CHORUS LINE is a bit of a joke production and John Doyle should have his directors union card taken away *and* that Lupone is *not* the be all and end all you clearly need and want her to be. But I'm not even going to try and convince you guys of it: like everything else, you have to see it for yourselves. For myself, I've seen enough of PattI to make an informed opinion... for myself.

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>> Why would those who enjoy her anyone start to agree with you on this performance, when this board, as a general statement, hasn't agreed with you on the body of her work?

Once again, look at all the people around here who said, baldly, that WICKED was the greatest thing to grace the stage since... well, probably OEIDPUS REX. It took a few years, but now opinion seems to be saying something slightly different. Yes, the *official* reviews were less than flattering, but that didnt stop the WICKEDoholics: "Look at how well it's selling! That proves it's a masterpeice!"

Iinsofar as the body of her work... I would bet that I've seen her onstage in more productions and concerts than your typical BBWer, all the way back to her 87 performance in ANYTHING GOES. And in recent years I've watched a performer who has a great singing voice coasting. IN MY OPINION, she hasnt pushed herself in a role in years: she's done just enough to get by.

Reviews? Folks, remember, Merman got *amazing* reviews too. Didnt make her that good an actress either. She basically played the same role over and over, whether it was ANNIE GET YOUR GUN or HAPPY HUNTING. It was just Merman playing Merman... and right now Lupone is falling headlong into the same trap.

IN MY OPINION.

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>> Now can you please take it somewhere else since we have already heard it time and time again

IF PEOPLE WOULD STOP ASKING ME TO DEFEND MY OPINION, MAYBE I WOULDNT FEEL IT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE IT, YOU LITTLE TWIT. NOW KINDLY TAKE YOUR OWN SPECIOUS ATTITUDE SOMEPLACE ELSE WHERE IT MIGHT BE USEFUL.

Thank you. And have a nice day, huh?

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