New Carrie 1980s Rehearsal Footage (with the divine Miss Allen)

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 12:58am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nE_ax0su4c

Just when I was starting to get over my obsession with this fascinating production...

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 1:03am

I've had this for years. This is horrible quality though, but it's still really cool to see.

[chewy5000]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 1:47am

How did this not run forever?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 9:14am

Scott Wise, 2nd row, right?

Barbara Cook's infamous comment comes to mind, "They didn't have any ideas about how to fix it ... and they did nothing but polish the same killing dance numbers..."

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 10:47am

Sweets, this isn't new unearthed footage -- its been accessible for decades AND in better quality. Sadly, this horrible copy is the one posted on YouTube AND is incomplete. My copy is crystal clear and is the entire footage filmed during these London rehearsals.

[ChiChi]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 5:22pm

I've searched for interviews of any kind with Barbara Cook regarding Carrie and have never found any. Does anyone have a link to some?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 5:26pm

My quote is from the Mandlebaum book. I believe there are others, but she basically says the same thing in every instance. Liked the music, felt no one was in charge in Stratford to fix it, knew it was unfixable.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 6:04pm

I have also heard somebody's rehearsal audio (I think it is Barbara and Linzi) learning "I Remember How Those Boys Could Dance" where somebody (whom I have always assumed was Ms. Cook) picks up the recorder to whisper in a few disparaging comments about what is happening during this rehearsal, including things such as "They've changed the f***ing key. I'll never sing this sh*t" and "They like it. I hate it!"

[philly03]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 7:15pm

I don't believe Barbara Cook ever gave an interview on the experience, other than commenting something of: "I will go, if you can get me a seat on the Titanic" when asked by the creators/etc if she was going to New York with them.

Sally Ann Triplett, who played Sue Snell gave a pretty insightful interview, but she definitely does not seem to have enjoyed the experience... And from her interview, I've always inferred is that it was the musical writers who thought about the red lights without the blood rather than Stafford Arima.
Sally Ann Triplett "Carrie" interview

[jv92]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 7:40pm

I would DIE to hear Barbara Cook's "commentary" on that rehearsal tape. DRG bleeped her "F-bomb" on her last album, and I was SOOO mad.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 7:50pm

Like I said, I can't guarantee that it is her, just going by what was included with the CD (from ebay many years ago), and my own deductive reasoning. I'm sure somebody with a better knowledge of her speaking voice could confirm or deny it. But it is definitely Linzi Hateley and NOT Betty Buckley learning the material, as most of it is being sung in the more soprano/ethereal style that Barbara used for the time she played Margaret White.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 8:23pm

That most likely IS Barbara Cook, AEA. Lillis White, who understudied Darlene Love, did an interview with Broadway.com where she shared that Cook's reaction to seeing a rehearsal of Out for Blood (the pig killing song) was "I haven't been on Broadway in 18 years and I'm going back in this piece of sh*t?!"

Starts at 6:55: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiPmLldvD98

[My Oh My]

Posted: 8/6/12 at 10:03pm

I've seen that rehearsal video on YouTube before but it's nice to see it again. Thanks, Eric.

I read a short interview some time ago that Cook gave in which she very openly let it be known that she did not have a good experience and that the final straw was narrowly being decapitated by the overly technically elaborate white staircase set.

I've always been curious to see exactly how a set piece could decapitate someone and for years it was a mystery. I figured she had exaggerated, but then, I saw this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL8rJCgVpV8#t=3m35s

Then two things came to mind: "WTF were they thinking?!" and "Why wasn't Linzi scared for her life every night?"

Still, as insane as that production was, I'd do just about anything to see it live.

Updated On: 8/6/12 at 10:03 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 8/7/12 at 5:40pm

Oh, I didn't mean to imply that it was suddenly found, just that this part hadn't been on YT before...

[missthemountains]

Posted: 8/7/12 at 6:52pm

If anyone has any rehearsal footage of Linzi's understudy, Rosemary Harris, please do not tell me because I definitely don't want it and definitely have not wanted it for years.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 8/7/12 at 8:01pm

She had two understudies, one of which was an African-American young woman. I wonder what impact that would have had on the story.

I always thought it would be interesting to have an African-American Chris Hargenson.