The Mystery of Edwin Drood

It is part of the agenda. Good Luck with the Show.

---

I'm coming on Monday and Berniegh is gonna be fricken amazing!!!

Cause she rocked at the Assembly preview!!!!!


Break a leg, my dear!!

---

It was something that Music Halls did a lot, at least the ones that Rupert Holmes went to when he was young. I don't remember were it was, but when I was in Drood (or maybe shortly after) I found this article about Holmes' entire writting process from his young days visiting British Music Halls to performances of Drood. It has some pretty interesting stuff. If you Goolge his name, you'll likely find it.

---

This is one of my favorite shows

How did it go?

---

In London, there is a great tradition of women playing young male roles: they call them "trouser roles" and you see it a lot in the old music hall and pantomime productions. Peter Pan is probably the best example of a "trouser role."

Doesn't Drood play Datchery only until the audience decides who Dick "really" is....? -- She's like an "understudy" of sorts? That's what I remember...

Yes, the actress who plays Drood also plays Datchery for the first part of Act 2. That way, we don't know who Datchery is until the audience decides.

Plus, with Drood being dead (or so we think), there would be nothing for the actress to do during most of Act 2!

Betty's singing in Edwin Drood was pretty thrilling. That last note of hers in "The Writing on the Wall" gives me chills. She also was something to see in Sunset. John Simon at the time wrote something akin to how Betty elevated that show into art, at least every time she was onstage. I do hope that we get to see her in another Broadway show or two, although it's pretty well known the difficulties involved with working with her. Couldn't imagine someone more chilling for Kander & Ebb's The Visit, if that ever sees the light of day again.

And back to Drood, I saw the show on New Year's Day, with George Rose in particularly warm and gracious mode as the Chairman. As it was the last time I saw him onstage, I can't think of this show without getting a little choked up about his loss.

---

I loved it too. I was down in the front/right orchestra in Rosabud's section. Patti Cohenour sang her line in the opening number right next to me, and I completely fell head-over-heels in love with her from that moment to this day.

Buckley's singing WAS amazing in this show, and I remember how good George Rose, Cleo Laine and Howard McGillin all were. And the music was very unique. It managed to sound like a wonderful, "new" combination of pop, traditional Broadway and classic Music Hall, all at the same time.

I did see the show a year later, with Donna Murphy as Drood. Most of the principle cast was gone by then, except for George Rose (who was very tired in the role at that point). It was pretty forgettable.

But when I saw the full original cast in a preview performance, it really was an exciting piece of theatre.

EDIT: According to one original cast member, it was NOT a pleasant experience back stage however. She had a miserable time doing the show. Apparently, as soon as the Tony nominations came out, the atmosphere back stage changed completely... and not in a good way.

---

I also recall Cleo Laine on the '86 Tonys singing her line in the audience to a rather stunning blonde male, who was grinning ear to ear.

---

I loved this show! It's still one of my favorites. I saw the original cast 3 times and then a few more times during the run. Loretta Swit (who replaced Cleo) ruined it for me though- she was just awful. Donna Murphy did not always sing the last note of Writing on the Wall.