Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
#1Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/7/19 at 1:53pm
https://www.menierchocolatefactory.com/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=03D1A268-A59F-4331-8098-520DECCB7DAB&sessionlanguage=&SessionSecurity::linkName=
Eager to see who they cast.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#2Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/7/19 at 2:05pmWith Trevor directing it will be an hour longer than the Broadway production. Excited to see who they cast as well
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
SomethingPeculiar
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/15/14
#3Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/7/19 at 2:25pm
I wonder if they'll keep it late 30s like on Broadway (i.e. Hadley Fraser or Ramin Karimloo) or go a little older (i.e. Maria Friedman or Joanna Riding)?
It would be GREAT if Nunn trimmed some of the scenes with peripheral characters...but I doubt that's gonna happen unless JRB and Marsha Norman are continuing to tinker with the show?
It's funny, for such a small musical and a story that's about 2 people, this has attracted two major directors who are sort of overqualified for the material (Bartlett Sher and Trevor Nunn).
#4Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/7/19 at 2:31pm
I'm pretty sure JRB said he does not like "State Road 21" and it was included out of pressure from a Producer so I hope that will be the first to go.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Updated On: 5/7/19 at 02:31 PM
RentBoy86
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/15/05
#5Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/7/19 at 3:42pm
This whole thing should be a 4 hander and much smaller than it is. It’s one of the best scores of past decade.
I’d love it with the central characters and their love interests and that’s it.
nasty_khakis
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/15/07
#6Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/7/19 at 4:01pm
SomethingPeculiar said: "I wonder if they'll keep it late 30s like on Broadway (i.e. Hadley Fraser or Ramin Karimloo) or go a little older (i.e. Maria Friedman or Joanna Riding)?"
It'll be a Strallen.
AngusN
Broadway Star Joined: 3/23/05
#7Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/7/19 at 5:57pmJoanna Riding would be absolute perfection.
#8Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/7/19 at 6:18pmOh wow! Yes to Joanna Riding. Great suggestion!
“I knew who I was this morning, but I've changed a few times since then.”
Campbell5
Chorus Member Joined: 4/28/18
#9Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/7/19 at 6:53pm
I saw the Trevor Nunn directed production Fiddler on the Roof at The Menier Chocolate Factory, and am quite sure this will redefine BOMC. Stand by for West End and Broadway transfers.
#10Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/13/19 at 6:31amIt’s Jenna Russell as the lead female. Always have been a fan so looking forward to it! Going to be interesting hearing a non-Kelli type take on the score.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#11Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/13/19 at 8:02am
I like Jenna but there’s no way she can sing that score as written.
I’d be curious to see a new take on the show, but it’s going to be disappointing to hear that lush score played by 7 pieces. I’d imagine it’ll be similar to the disappointing sound of their Night Music, which was thankfully improved for the Broadway cast recording.
SomethingPeculiar
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/15/14
#12Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/13/19 at 8:42am
ljay889 said: "it’s going to be disappointing to hear that lush score played by 7 pieces."
The Broadway orchestration of Bridges was only 10 pieces! Cut the percussion, one of the guitars, and one of the violas and it would sound perfectly fine.
I'm pulling for Ramin to do this.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#13Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/13/19 at 9:02amOmg I LOVE Jenna Russel! She’s going to be incredible. I loved her vocals in Sunday, but yes this is a different type of score.
#14Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/13/19 at 9:44amWow! It sounded much lusher than 10 pieces on broadway. Thanks for noting that.
#15Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/13/19 at 10:25am
I’m not horribly concerned about dropping from 10 to 7 musicians, but I *am* concerned that directors are starting to cast belters in legit soprano roles as of late.
I do love Jenna Russell, though. Terrific performer.
-There's the muddle in the middle. There's the puddle where the poodle did the piddle."
Updated On: 5/13/19 at 10:25 AM
#16Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/13/19 at 10:37am
I would have to agree with you. The score was so carefully crafted to O’hara’s vocal ability and range. It would be a shame to hear the songs lowered or belted. Does anyone know how Elizabeth Stanley sang the role on tour?
Updated On: 5/13/19 at 10:37 AM#17Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/13/19 at 10:45amI’m devastated that Marin Mazzie never got to play the role alongside her husband. She is one of the few I can think of that could have done justice to the score and added something new to the role. Kelli was perfection.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#18Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/14/19 at 12:22am
qolbinau said: "I'm pretty sure JRB said he does not like "State Road 21" and it was included out of pressure from a Producer so I hope that will be the first to go.
"
"SR21" needs to stay, if only for the daughter's line, "I had seven corn dogs and I think I might die!"
I vehemently disagree that the numbers for the supporting characters should be cut. Most of them aren't even full songs and JBR did a brilliant job of finding reasons for the supporting characters to sing. Cut those numbers and you are left with two ballads (however great) for the leads and two hours of them looking at each other with cow eyes!
And when, at the end, Francesca sings, "And what I did, I did for love", it's important to know what she loved.
If they want to rewrite it as a 2-character musical, that's another matter, but I don't think they should expect such a project to be more successful than the version that played on Broadway and on tour.
EvaLyn
Chorus Member Joined: 1/1/08
#19Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/14/19 at 2:07am
Whoa Jenna Russell looks so much younger than her actual age.
I would love to see Ramin do this. I hope they still cast someone Pasquale's age, I do think the whole point of this musical version is that they were still young stuff to start a new life together.
#20Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/14/19 at 9:22am
"Does anyone know how Elizabeth Stanley sang the role on tour?"
We were crazy in love with Kelli O'Hara's performance on Bway, so were a little apprehensive about seeing Stanley at the Ahmanson 2 years later. It was a very different animal. Lots more sideways humor than Kelli brought. Didn't believe Stanley's Italian accent at all. Where Kelli's voice has a warm cello-like quality to it, even in the high notes, Stanley seemed to make the part a real soprano's, which I found odd. Lots of volume but that magical timbre Kelli brought was missing.
Even so, the power of this amazing show and score still shone through. No musical has earned our tears more.
a-mad
Featured Actor Joined: 8/25/11
#21Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/14/19 at 10:48am
I would love to see Laura Osnes take a crack at this at some point in her career...
#22Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/14/19 at 11:51pm
SomethingPeculiar said: "I wonder if they'll keep it late 30s like on Broadway (i.e. Hadley Fraser or Ramin Karimloo) or go a little older (i.e. Maria Friedman or Joanna Riding)?...."
With all due respect, the musical play cannot have been set in the "late 30s". Both Francesca and her husband sing about meeting in Italy at the end of WWII. So they met in 1945, 1944 at the earliest. Since their oldest kid is starting his senior year in high school, the visit from the photographer must occur no earlier than the early 1960s.
#23Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/14/19 at 11:54pm
ljay889 said: "I would have to agree with you. The score was so carefully crafted toO’hara’s vocal abilityand range. It would be a shame to hear the songs lowered or belted. Does anyone know how Elizabeth Stanley sang the role on tour?"
Yes, I saw her. She used a mix of belt and legit and transitioned between the two beautifully. As gorgeous as O'Hara sounds on the OBCR, I rather liked Stanley's approach: the occasional use of head voice sounded vaguely "operatic" and seemed very Italian.
ETA to add to Someone in a Tree's comment above, I was so moved by the show at the Ahmanson, I really couldn't talk about it for several days. (And I had religiously avoided the novel and film as "chick lit/film" genre.) I think Brown's score is the best of this young century so far--and that INCLUDES the numbers for the supporting characters.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#24Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/15/19 at 12:01amAgreed! Great score but I don’t think Sher knee what he was doing
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#25Trevor Nunn is directing The Bridges of Madison County in London
Posted: 5/15/19 at 8:16am
GavestonPS said: "SomethingPeculiar said: "I wonder if they'll keep it late 30s like on Broadway (i.e. Hadley Fraser or Ramin Karimloo) or go a little older (i.e. Maria Friedman or Joanna Riding)?...."
With all due respect, the musical play cannot have been set in the "late 30s". Both Francesca and her husband sing about meeting in Italy at the end of WWII. So they met in 1945, 1944 at the earliest. Since their oldest kid is starting his senior year inhigh school, the visit from the photographer must occur no earlier than the early 1960s."
The comment meant keeping the casting of the leads in their late 30s, not the time period of the show.
Videos