Once Upon a Mattress
Once Upon a Mattress
#0Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 3:25amHey, I was just reading the boards and I saw a comment that the 1997 revival was "extremely flawed" and I was wondering if anyone could explain why. I have the CD and I enjoy it. Was it really that bad or just someone's opinion?
"You know just because you put a smiley face after it doesn't change the fact that it was an a-hole comment." ~ Sumofallthings
#1re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 4:05amI love Sarah Jessica Parker in "Sex and the City" but in this show, she was just miscast. She just can't vocally carry the part without making it look like she's hauling rocks. And that was the "serious flaw" to me.
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=972787#3631451
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=963561#3533883
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955158#3440952
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954269#3427915
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955012#3441622
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954344#3428699
#2re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 4:49amI have the recording as well...I think SJP sounds brilliant.
And you think of all of the things you've seen, and you wish that you could live in between ,and you're back again only different than before...
After the Sky.
-Into the Woods (Jack)
alterego
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/03
#3re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 7:37amI didn't see that production, however I couldn't imagine SJP would do a worse job of that role than Tracy Ullman did in the Disney version. Ugh.
#4re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 7:50amSJP rocks and this is a fun musical. I love the CD and think it is very funny. I wish I could have seen the show live.
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Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#5re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 7:58amI saw Carol Burnett in the original and then Sarah Jessica Parker in the revival. Parker was very sweet and I enjoyed the revival even though it was a very different experience. I love the score and it was especially nice to see Jane Krakowski as Lady Larkin.
JohnBoy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/06
#6re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 8:41amI always found this show to be a mediocre experience. Without a big presence (and talent), like Carol Burnett in the lead role, it just feels flat to me. I found SJP, rather innocuous in the role.
#7re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:02pmThanks for the replies. It sounds like it may just have been a matter of taste.
"You know just because you put a smiley face after it doesn't change the fact that it was an a-hole comment." ~ Sumofallthings
colleen_lee
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/05
#8re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:04pm
SJP is not Carol Burnett. She had no chance in hell.
I really liked Krakowski as Larken though.
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. "
--Sueleen Gay
NathanLaneStalker
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#9re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:16pm
Tracy Ullman was BRILLIANT in the movie!!!
The revival floped miserably! Here's a clip from it's performance on the Tonys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaVZXX9cw0U
and I agree she was miscast!
"I'm tellin' you, the only times I really feel the presence of God are when I'm having sex and during a great Broadway musical." - Nathan Lane - Jeffrey
Updated On: 7/4/06 at 12:16 PM
colleen_lee
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/05
#10re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:23pm^ What movie did you see?!? Ms. Ullman was definitely not a good fit for that role, at all. The whole movie was a mess.
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. "
--Sueleen Gay
NathanLaneStalker
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#11re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:24pm
I LOVED the movie! That was the perfect cast!
"I'm tellin' you, the only times I really feel the presence of God are when I'm having sex and during a great Broadway musical." - Nathan Lane - Jeffrey
#12re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:34pm
Yeah, did we see the same movie? Disney dumbed down the show and took almost all of the humor out of it. In fact, almost every second of that film was pure trash except for when Carol Burnett was on, and even she didn’t do that much.
"The hallmark of aristocracy is responsibility. Oh brother, that got me, that did me in!"
NathanLaneStalker
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#13re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:36pm
Ok look, I know it wasn't as good as the show but it was good!
"I'm tellin' you, the only times I really feel the presence of God are when I'm having sex and during a great Broadway musical." - Nathan Lane - Jeffrey
#14re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:39pmmy school is doing once upon a mattress for the school play next year...should i be looking forward to it or what?
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#15re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:46pm
I was in a production of Once Upon A Mattress- several, several years ago! It's a fun show to watch and perform. 
So, that was the Drowsy Chaperone. Oh, I love it so much. I know it's not a perfect show...but it does what a musical is supposed to do. It takes you to another world, and it gives you a little tune to carry with you in your head for when you're feeling blue. Ya know?
colleen_lee
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/05
#16re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:48pm
In my opinion, OUAM is a fabulous high school and community show. It's pretty light and fluffy and not phenomenally difficult. It is naturally a bit campy so it can be directed and performed pretty horribly and still be mildly entertaining. I am sure you'll have a lot of fun with it.
"You just can't win. Ever. Look at the bright side, at least you are not stuck in First Wives Club: The Musical. That would really suck. "
--Sueleen Gay
Updated On: 7/4/06 at 12:48 PM
#17re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:52pmWhen performed well, I think it is an incredibly enjoyable show.
"The hallmark of aristocracy is responsibility. Oh brother, that got me, that did me in!"
#18re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:56pm
I saw a production of this recently where Winnifred was played by a man (please no SJP man jokes) and they were playing up a gay marraige angle that worked really well. I love to see show conceived in different lights.
As for Sarah Jessica, although I think she does sound great on the OBRC I've heard mixed reviews about her live. But I'm sure there has been far worse perforamces on stage.
#19re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 12:57pmWow, I really didn't enjoy that SJP Tony clip. I wanted her to stop leaning over all the time. It felt like it should have been this big, show-stopping number, but she was just...doing it very oddly.
#20re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 1:09pmYeah I didn't really enjoy that Tonys clip. It didn't have the presence that the song needs.
JohnBoy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/06
#22re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:02pmI didn't see the show on Broadway, but i loved the clip and the CD is great!
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
#23re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:06pm
I thought Tracy Ullman was HIDEOUS in the movie. I turned it off after "Shy" because she was so bad I couldn't stand watching the rest of it...
Not only was her singing bad, but she was WAY too old. I understand they cast O'Hare against her to make it seem like they were both older, but Winnifred and Dauntless should have been the same age as Larkin and Sir Harry (Zooey Deschanel and Matthew Morrison.)
I liked Parker in the role. I thought she was charming and winning and had a good enough voice for it too.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 7/5/06 at 02:06 PM
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
NathanLaneStalker
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#24re: Once Upon a Mattress
Posted: 7/4/06 at 2:10pm
Tracy Ullman was waaayy better than Sarah Jessica Parker!!!
"I'm tellin' you, the only times I really feel the presence of God are when I'm having sex and during a great Broadway musical." - Nathan Lane - Jeffrey
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