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

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/8/07 at 10:26am

Yes, I saw the same show you did. And yes, she exploited what she could from Lansbury's turn and added only marginally little to it, which suggests you've never seen Lansbury's, or else you'd know precisely what I mean.

But whatever, guys. Nothing like blind love.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/8/07 at 10:26am

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.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 7/8/07 at 10:27am

SeanMartin: I've seen Lansbury's, and I completely disagree with LuPone being a copy or adding very little. I thought she made the character quite different and very much her own.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/8/07 at 10:31am

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.

[daspazoo]

Posted: 7/8/07 at 10:35am

"Yes, she has a better voice than most, but the woman cannot act her way out of a paper bag without a road map from AAA."

I understand that everyone has their own opinion's about shows and performers, but this statement is just downright crazy.

First of all, she's a classically trained actress from Julliard, who started a career performing in shows like THE THREE SISTERS and MEASURE FOR MEASURE before she ever started to do musical theatre. She has a firm foundation in her craft and knows it well.

Having seen her five times (SUNDAY, WHISTLE, SWEENEY revival, GYPSY, and TO HELL AND BACK), I'd even go so far as to say her acting is better than her singing. Watching her in TO HELL AND BACK mere feet away allowed me to really study and observe her at close range. The woman's is a committed and commanding actress. Here she was taking an original role, and making it her own, and making a living, breathing, and moving character. It makes me wish someone would write a new show just for her.

Last, but not least, someday you should sit down and watch both SWEENEY DVD's back-to-back. She and Angela couldn't more different.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 10:57am

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.

[Katecab99]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 11:53am

"The Andrew Lloyd Webber Memorial Pool"

God, I love this woman.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 1:43pm

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.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 3:26pm

SeanMartin--you know I love you but you're wrong.

As Carol Burnett sings in "Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall," "No, you're wrong, WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!"

I saw Lansbury twice and what Patti does is as different from what Lansbury did as you are from me.

At any rate, what do your silly words "a borderline dreadful copy" even MEAN?

How would an actress whose ENTIRE LIFE is about being a contrarian go about attempting a "borderline dreadful copy."

I don't think Patti is capable of copying anything. It would all come out like Patti. She's incapable of being anything but her annoying, brilliant self.

You bear some strange animus toward her and you're just making up words to fit. But "a borderline dreadful copy"? That's meaningless.

Come here so I can slap you.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 4:00pm

"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.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:13pm

One of the things I find fascinating about this place is how we see waves of opinion on certain things.... only to see those waves replaced after a while when common sense has a chance to kick in. When I started here, it was WICKED IS THE GREATEST MUSICAL IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD! -- and now folks are starting to see it for what it is: a not very good piece of writing that's all eye candy that's only barely related to the subject matter.

Then it was PIRATE QUEEN IS GOING TO BE AMAZING!!! And we saw how quickly that ship sank.

Then it was CHORUS LINE IS GOING TO BE THE BEST THING TO HIT BRAODWAY IN DECADES!!!... only to see a pale carbon copy of what was a very good (if somewhat overwrought) original.

Now it's PATTY LUPONE IS GOING TO AMAZING IN GYPSY!!! -- when some of us have watched her for years and know that she really isnt all that, guys. So forgive me, but I'll bide my time on this one until the rest of you catch up... as you inevitably will.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:18pm

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

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:22pm

Except, Sean Martin, everyone on this site has said that Patti is amazing (including those who have had very high expectations).

And I still don't see how her performance was a copy of Lansbury's at all. Lansbury's performance was broad, music hall style comedy. LuPone was subtle and understated. I don't see how they compare at all.

ETA: I don't see how you can say "You'll catch up". Sean, have you seen Patti in Gypsy? If not, then how do you know she ISN'T as good as every review I have read says she is?

Updated On: 7/10/07 at 06:22 PM

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 6:25pm

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.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:37pm

>> Except, Sean Martin, everyone on this site has said that Patti is amazing (including those who have had very high expectations).

... which simply underscores what I said, sorry. She's AMAZING!!!!

>> Sean, have you seen Patti in Gypsy? If not, then how do you know she ISN'T as good as every review I have read says she is?

I've seen Lupone in concert, on stage, on TV, etc etc etc... for years. Unless she's been taking acting lessons in the last year, she probably hasnt changed much since the last time I saw her. Normally, I agree with you: it's best to see something before panning it.... but yknow, on this one, I think I'm on safe ground... for my own expectations. No one else's. People rave about PattI because it's expected, and, as we saw with WICKED and CHORUS LINE, God help the dissenter.

And no, I dont have any kind of hate-on for her. I find her a good singer but a somewhat mediocre actress who's all hype and not much else. All the raves for her tell me that Broadway is in serious need of some new blood, because it's been depending on her, just as it depended on Merman in previous generations, even though Merman played ever role exactly the same way and really wasnt all that great a singer per se.

But you guys love her, and God bless you for doing so.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:52pm

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.

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

[sally1112]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 7:54pm

I can't wait to see this show. Planning my entire trip around this and GG.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 10:50pm

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

[Sargar]

Posted: 7/10/07 at 11:21pm

what i wouldn't give to ride around in a golf cart with this woman...

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/11/07 at 6:45am

>> 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.

[ahmelie]

Posted: 7/11/07 at 7:52am

Okay, here's the thing I don't understand. You speak of these boards "catching up" to you, but obviously you like LuPone's work less than most. 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? And damn, there's people who hate LuPone who are admitting that this is a wonderful performance, it's not just crazy Patti fans like myself.

And, both A Chorus Line and Wicked got mediocre reviews. When Patti did Gypsy last year, her reviews were fantastic. And I'd be very surprised if they weren't fantastic this time around too.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/11/07 at 8:23am

>> 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.

[Midnight Radio]

Posted: 7/11/07 at 9:20am

SeanMartin, you are an annoying little troll.

We get it, its your opinion! Now can you please take it somewhere else since we have already heard it time and time again. Thanks.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 7/11/07 at 9:28am

>> 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?

[Midnight Radio]

Posted: 7/11/07 at 9:46am

Well I think its wonderful that LuPone is finally playing a role on Broadway that she has pursued her entire career and receiving nothing but praise and raves for it, but you have to chime in with negative detracting statements and downplay this woman’s amazing achievements.

You are truly an asset to this community.