Unpopular opinions you hold — Page 44

I wish I had been around to see the original production of My Fair Lady. I love Audrey in the film, and have a feeling I would have liked her more than Julie, but agree that it's wrong to assume Julie's Eliza would have been no different than her Mary Poppins or Fraulein Maria. I do get sick of the big deal made over this bit of casting and think Hollywood over compensated in giving Julie an Oscar in '64 while not nominating Audrey (although Mary Poppins Returns made me miss Julie).

For what it's worth, I know several people who saw the original production of My Fair Lady. They all liked, even loved, Julie, but all of them agreed that the production's real source of fire was Rex Harrison. I know one very well established actor, still working among us, who said he hadn't seen a performance like Harrison's before or since. If only one of them were going to get to do the film, as was often the case when Warner Brothers filmed Broadway musicals, the right one was chosen.

Updated On: 12/29/18 at 11:02 AM

I've always been curious about how Julie Andrews' Eliza would have translated to the screen. Per accounts, she was not doing well out-of-town and Harrison wanted her fired. Moss Hart basically spoon-fed her line-readings and choreographed her movements. Of course, she was 20 and eventually made the role her own (and did 2 years on Broadway and 1.5 years in London).

SomethingPeculiar said: "I've always been curious about how Julie Andrews' Eliza would have translated to the screen.Per accounts, she wasnotdoing well out-of-townand Harrison wanted her fired. Moss Hart basically spoon-fedher line-readings and choreographedher movements.Of course, she was 20 and eventually made the role her own (and did 2 years on Broadway and 1.5 years in London)."

Not sure Rex Harrison's initial impression should hold much water. As great of an actor as he was he was also widely considered one of the most vile people in the business and he didn't get along with any of his co-stars onscreen, onstage, anywhere.

Although I liked Audrey Hepburn in the role my main issue is that when she becomes a "lady" she spoke in that international accent that she spoke in real life. Henry Higgins wanted her to speak like an upper crust British lady. She doesn't have anywhere close to a British accent.

yankeefan7 said: ""I just find Laura Osnes completely vanilla. She sings great, dances great, looks great, but it’s all just a bit too ?perfect’ for me and I’d like to see her in a truly gritty role to see how she does. I find her a little hard to connect to. "

I did not see "Bonny And Clyde" but I am going to assume her role was "gritty" in comparison to her normal roles. BTW - I loved her in "Bandstand"."

Having seen Laura Osnes several times, including Bonnie and Clyde, I can confirm that she was indeed "gritty" and damned good at it.

Which brings me to my unpopular opinion... I generally enjoy Frank Wildhorn. I loved Scarlet Pimpernel 1.0, The Civil War and Bonne and Clyde. Maybe it's most unpopular to think Jekyll & Hyde (as it turned out for Broadway) is awful. (To be fair, I saw the pre-Broadway tour and enjoyed it, and the 2-CD concept recording is good - reminding me of what could have been.)

I don't have the time or energy to review the 40+ pages of this thread, so this may not actually be "unpopular" (I may have even said this before on this thread): I think Ben Platt's performance in DEH was so uniformly overwrought, it was both one-note and grotesque. The most over-praised performance in the most over-praised show in years.

I didn't see the original Broadway version of J&H, but I thought Cuccioli and Eder were the only good things about the tour prior to its landing on Broadway. While I'm really not going to comment on the story itself as I really don't remember it that well (never read the book), I just didn't find any of the characters to be likable or worthy of empathy, compassion or anything else. It was really hard to connect with any of them. So what was left was some beautiful music, sung by two wonderful leads, in a story that was really worthless. If there was supposed to be some deeper meaning (which since it has literary origins, there is), I really didn't care enough about finding it or thinking much on it. I almost left at intermission, but the leads were just so grand that I stayed, if not for the story, just to hear them sing.

It had a pretty healthy run on Broadway though, no?

But then again, so has Kinky Boots. (Okay, a little unpopular jab there).





jkstheatrescene said: "yankeefan7 said: ""I just find Laura Osnes completely vanilla. She sings great, dances great, looks great, but it’s all just a bit too ?perfect’ for me and I’d like to see her in a truly gritty role to see how she does. I find her a little hard to connect to. "

I did not see "Bonny And Clyde" but I am going to assume her role was "gritty" in comparison to her normal roles. BTW - I loved her in "Bandstand"."

Having seen Laura Osnes several times, including Bonnie and Clyde, I can confirm that she was indeed "gritty" and damned good at it.

Which brings me to my unpopular opinion... I generally enjoy Frank Wildhorn. I lovedScarlet Pimpernel1.0,The Civil WarandBonne and Clyde. Maybe it's most unpopular to thinkJekyll & Hyde(as it turned out for Broadway) is awful. (To be fair, I saw the pre-Broadway tour and enjoyed it, and the 2-CD concept recording is good - reminding me of what could have been.)

I don't have the time or energy to review the 40+ pages of this thread, so this may not actually be "unpopular" (I may have even said this before on this thread): I think Ben Platt's performance in DEH was so uniformly overwrought, it was both one-note and grotesque. The most over-praised performance in the most over-praised show in years."

Fiasco's Into the Woods at Roundabout was phenomenal.

Gavin Creel is so average in every possible way.

OK, I'll write it:

Hated Wicked. And I hated The Prom.

I feel better now for having gotten this off my chest.

Couldn't agree more, she is average/below in every conceivable way. She is only getting jobs because of who her best friend and brother are. I laughed when she was cast as Monica Lewinsky, something I doubt will end up happening. Talk about a miscast.

I honestly think people are being totally overdramatic about not being able to access theater during this time. I guess people can thank those who make bootlegs, because you can find SO many things online right now. ALSO, if people are saying the industry isn't doing anything right now...um, have you been paying attention???? People like Seth Rudetsky who has been trying to bring us content, how they released Hamilton on Disney+, how they tried to have SIX as a drive-in concert event...the industry is not going anywhere and it IS going to survive. I think it's because we're in the age of social media. People expect to get what they want, when they want it. That's absolutely no way to go through life and why people claim theater is "inaccessible". No, it's accessible. You just can't see the show you want when you want it, and you think you're more important than a business staying afloat. Lottery, rush, BroadwayBox, BroadwayForBrokePeople, TodayTix, etc...I may be a single person, but I've never paid more than $100 for a ticket unless it was a special occasion. There are plenty of shows that are from 50 years ago that I'm sure people would have liked to see but hey guess what-that was special for people 50 years ago. We have new material and it will be special for us. Not even 50 years-10 years, 5 years, were shows you didn't care/know about. And I think you're doing okay now not having seen them in person. There are WAY more shows to discover and learn about and you don't need a proshot of every single show to do so.

I'm sorry. That seems harsh, but it's been on my mind how completely demanding and selfish people are.

LuPita2 said: "Gavin Creel is so average in every possible way."

Thanls so much!! I thought I was the only one to think this way!!!!

duplicate

Updated On: 3/30/26 at 03:09 AM