The Victor/Victoria/Julie Andrew story? (Tony & losing voice)- Page 2

[Parsley]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:30pm

she was true class but her curtain speech, while giving credit to a great cast, did automatically create something of an "aren't I so nice to be doing this?" feel about it. And arguably gave her more publicity than the Tony would have done!

Not a bad show though - fun with some good new numbers but a bit heavy handed in places.

[alisadm]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 3:59pm

That was one of the first things that struck me too, Hanna. When you watch the movie she's singing Le Jazz Hot in F# and now on stage it's in D?? A major third down?? I definitely thought that took a lot away from the number but kinda understood. Even when you see a singer in concert, if they are not syncing with a track, they will do their numbers down a step or two since they're singing night after night. But a major third is a lot. On the other hand, it does make her sound more like a man!

And according to John Riccucci, the wardrobe god at Goodspeed, she truly is every bit the gracious lady she seems to be! He's ALWAYS talking about Julie, Julie, Julie. It is nice to hear that someone is as they appear.

Updated On: 2/26/09 at 03:59 PM

[jejr]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 4:01pm

It was pretty well known that for a number of years Julie did not want to do a stage version of Victor/Victoria but was finally talkied into it.
Supposedly the note that was recorded was the one that shattered glass. That would have been impossible to hit a few times in the show 8 performances a week.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 4:38pm

Well, honestly the "recorded" note isn't even as high as what she did in the movie. I KNOW that's not the point . . . . shattering glass has more to do with the frequency of the sound and not how high the note is or how well it's sung. Nevertheless, it was a shame what had happened to Julie's voice PRIOR to the surgery, much less after it. I'm sure a lot has to do with improper singing throughout her career which caused the nodes. She did a LOT of talk-singing even EARLY in her career. In retrospect, I listen to her in some movies and her her do certain things and think "hmm, that doesn't sound like it would be good for the vocal cords."

Don't know what anyone else thinks, but I can't help but focus on that when I hear her performances.

[sparrman]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 4:49pm

I've long wondered if this whole surgery/lawsuit business was partially a convenient excuse for her to blame her vocal troubles on. She was hardly still singing like she could at 19 before the surgery! I wonder if those doctors aren't taking the rap for years of vocal abuse.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 4:53pm

I don't know . . . . she was a child prodigy. Her early singing is PRETTY amazing. I get a sense that she was told by "the system" that she needed to ACT the music better and not just sing it beautifully. IMHO I think that's were some of the bad technique came into play.

No matter what the cause, it's a crime to have lost that magical voice!

[alisadm]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 4:59pm

Oh, no, sparrman. It's true. I just wish that she hadn't gone private with the settlement. If she hadn't, my friend who had that SAME type of surgery that that SAME doctor pushes, wouldn't have had her voice ruined also. And this woman is 40 now--she was only 36 when she had the procedure. It supposedly offers a quicker surgery and a faster recovery time. Hmph.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 6:08pm

She's a class act, but she should have just accepted the nomination. She would have won. It would have been her first Tony (though she richly deserved it for Fair Lady and Camelot, I'm sure) and it would have been a nice moment.

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 6:38pm

Does anyone see a young Julie Andrews in Laura Benanti?

[boombaboy]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 8:19pm

In her memoir, "Home," Julie says she was having vocal problems doing "My Fair Lady" 8 times a week for 2 years. Even Maria Callas came backstage and marveled at her stamina and ability and god-given talent. I think ANY human being would have some problems after a run that long singing a score that challenging.

Julie was talked into the Broadway production of "Victor/Victoria" by her husband who wrote and directed it; she had earlier stated that she didn't want to do it without Robert Preston, and he had died a few years earlier. She declined the Tony nomination because she felt that at the very least, the show should have been nominated for Best Musical.

Now, considering the fact that they did not give her a Tony Award for "The Boy Friend" (not even nominated), "My Fair Lady" or "Camelot" (nor, btw, was she given the parts in the subsequent films) and the fact that plenty of really crappy shows have been nominated over the years for Best Musical, I think she was, as always, perfectly correct. She is a peerless talent and a class act, and she called out the Phony Awards for what they really are. Julie Andrews was fabulous in "Victor/Victoria," both on stage and on film, and I'm very fortunate that I got to see her.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 10:12pm

THE BOY FRIEND was Off-Broadway.

TimesSquare, No.
They are both beautiful and sing or sang like Angels.
But otherwise I see no similarity.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 10:51pm

I think what also added insult to injury was that year at the Tonys "Big-The Musical" was nominated in several categories. Also "Swinging on a Star" was nominated for Best Musical. While "SOAS" was a nice show, it was nothing more than a songbook musical, just Johnny Burke songs strung together.

[degrassifan]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 11:18pm

"THE BOY FRIEND was Off-Broadway."

Really? I thought it was on Broadway.

"And it's not a well kept secret that Marni Nixon dubbed the highest note in The Sound of Music."

Woah, really? Are you you sure? I consider myself an expert on all things Sound of Music, and I have never heard this before. I know for a fact that "I Have Confidence" was not entirely written by Richard Rodgers. Parts of it were written by Saul Chaplin, and Marni Nixon had recorded it for the creative team without Julie Andrews knowing. It was years after that Julie Andrews realized that had happened.

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 11:22pm

It was on Broadway.

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 11:22pm

According to IBDB and her own memoir, The Boy Friend played the Royale Theatre from September of 1954 to November of 1955, so it was indeed a Broadway production and not Off-Broadway in any way.

I still love the Julie Andrews, Victor/Victoria section on the Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back CD. Donna English is pretty dead on in her performance as Julie. I did a production of My Fair Lady with Donna a few years back and it was pretty amazing how clearly she was able to channel Julie's performance and still make it her own.

And I also fail to see a resemblance between Julie Andrews and Laura Benanti.

[sparrman]

Posted: 2/26/09 at 11:59pm

Her voice had deteriorated between the Broadway My Fair Lady recording and the London one. The last note of "I Could Have Danced All Night" is really flat on the London recording. One of the many things that makes the Broadway recording superior, stereo sound notwithstanding.

[Ftworthguy]

Posted: 2/27/09 at 1:45pm

I had the great fortune of seeing her in V/V and meeting her backstage. So warm gracious and classy -- One of the highlights of my 'backstaging"

I also DID the show in a local production and it really is find of dreary -- without the star power of Andrews, it loses alot.

Although I do believe that choreography, set design and a nomination for York were in order.

[jv92]

Posted: 3/3/09 at 9:12pm

Who got the Tony over her for Camelot? It wasn't Chita. It wasn't Tammy Grimes (She was in Featured...bizarre Tony rules). She should have gotten SOME consolation prize for losing for Fair Lady, which is undoutably a very challenging role I can't picture anyone perfecting except Dame Julie.

[Tom's Cat]

Posted: 3/3/09 at 10:21pm

It was Elizabeth Seal for Irma la Douce.

[marknyc]

Posted: 3/3/09 at 10:37pm

The standard line on this show was "Julie great, show bad."

I found the reverse to be true. Julie talk-sang her numbers (definitely no pre-recording) and was just okay, while the show was a lot of fun - a light piece of fluff, exactly what you wanted from a Broadway version of this movie.

That made it even more ironic to me that she was the only one nominated.

[goldes]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 3:00am

I saw V/V on Broadway with Julie, and though I was thrilled to see her - I didn't think much of the show.

Then a few years later I gave it a second chance when V/V was touring with Toni Tenille (sp?). Again, I thought the show was very average.

But then I saw a new production in London at the Bridewell theatre. Phil Willmot (director) went back to some of the demo recordings that Leslie Bricusse had for the film/show (not sure if they were written with Wildhorn, or with others) and completely reworked the show. I don't have my programme with me, but lots of changes to the score. And for once, the show seemed to work for me. So I do think it is actually salvagable with the right director...

But how could they cut "The Shady Dame..." from the show? That was my favourite when I saw the film!

[JBSinger]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 8:43am

I had the pleasure of seeing V/V out of town in Chicago and thought she was wonderful. For a few years prior, she had become more deliberate in her singing. It felt less natural, more careful and placed. This was true of her performance in V/V, though her mid/low range was really wonderful.

The "I Couldn't Hit That Note" in Forbidden Bway was mostly in reference to when Julie hosted the Tony awards and sang a big medley of her shows in the middle. It was quite obvious that she was vocally having problems holding pitch and the final high note was quite flat. She also spoke-sang alot (which she is a master).

Let's just be thankful that we have her albums and movies from her glory days and that she's still with us sharing her wonderful talent and stories. A class act.