Victor/Victoria Stage Version on TV tonight

[degrassifan]

Posted: 6/17/09 at 7:29pm

For those who are interested, the filmed stage version of the musical Victor/Victoria, starring Julie Andrews, is going to be on Ovation TV in about 20 minutes.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/17/09 at 7:43pm

Edited and trimmed to fit the TV time-slot with/for commercials, etc.

You can see it completely uncut and uninterrupted by obtaining the DVD incarnation:

[Rudy2]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:25am

Oh, how I wish I'd been old enough to see this when it was on stage. I've always loved the movie. "Crazy World" is one of the best songs ever written, performed by one of the greatest voices to ever grace our presence.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:28am

I saw this for the first time a few months ago and then watched the movie afterwards. I strongly prefer the stage version, to my surprise. Le Jazz Hot has to be one of my favorite musical theatre numbers.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:40am

Damn, I saw that this was going to be on, but I thought it was the movie version. I already saw the movie so I didn't record it. Now I'm sorry I missed this. I hope it comes on again or I'll just get it somewhere else.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 6:57am

Check the Ovation website...there's a good chance it will be on again. It was on again at 11 last night so I DVR'd it. I love the movie and even if the stage show's reputation is kind of iffy, I've always wanted to see it.

[jennamajig]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 8:26am

Alas, this is when I wish I had Ovation. Comcast in my area carries the channel, but not in the basic digital package and I pay enough to 'em already.

But the hankering to see it is there, so to the Netflix queue it shall be added!

Edit: It's on Instant viewing on Netflix, no waiting! :)

[BroadwayBound115]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 10:46am

I thought the dancing in the show was great. I love Rachel York, please bring her back to Broadway

[Mamie]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 10:51am

Gregory J. was kind of adorable in it too!

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 11:11am

Rachel York was the real reason to see the show. She and the sets were the best things about it. I saw the Broadway production with both Julie and Liza and Liza was simply superior in every way. I always found the fact that Julie was the show's only Tony nomination hilariously ironic as I felt she was the weakest link in the entire production. The best thing about the DVD is that is was before they cut Louis Says when Liza stepped in and changes were permanently made in the book and score. I didn't mind so much the other changes, but Louis Says was actually my favorite number.

Posted: 6/18/09 at 11:26am

Me too Matt. I loved that number.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 11:30am

I remember seeing the tour of this with Toni Tennille. She sang it beautifully, but her acting... Well, she was acting pretty hard, so I'll give her that.

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:10pm

It previewed in Chicago so I got to see it a few times before it hit Broadway. Not perfect by any means, but very entertaining and thrilling to see Julie Andrews live on stage.

[bertandrew2]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:18pm

I saw this on TV last week. What a snooze fest! Mr. Roberts accent is all over the place and goes in and out. Ms. Andrews performance was far better in the film and her songs are not really songs, they just drone on and on. There is one great sequence on the two level set with a serious of entrances, exits, ducking under beds, etc etc etc. which was the only entertaining part of this. Was very excited to see this, if only on tape, but now I realize I didn't miss much.

[tapfrog]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 12:41pm

I'm sorry I missed this, but I have a few memories of seeing the original Broadway production with the incomparable Rachel York (before I had any idea who she was, or would become). If you're in the Boston area, Rachel is starring in "Hello, Dolly!" at the Reagle Players in Waltham, June 18-27. Should be awesome!

[philcrosby]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 1:28pm

I think the movie is far superior in almost every way. That said, though, I think the stage version's major weakness was its score ... outside of the pre-existing numbers, it's close to dreadful.

You cannot deny Julie Andrews' star presence in the stage version, even with already diminished voice she had at that point. And even though looking remarkably younger than her 60 years, she still looked like she was robbing the cradle paired with Michael Nouri.

Rachel York was directed to do a pale imitation of Lesley Ann Warren's Oscar-nominated performance and came off very crass -- though having rotten numbers like "Paris Makes Me Horny" doesn't help.

And poor Tony Roberts having to compete with Robert Preston's nearly perfect portrayal.

The sets are gorgeous and Rob Marshall's choreography terrific ... especially the Tango.

The best part of the stage version is the adaptation of the screenplay ... it is exactly right for a stage musical and the songs are at least in all the right places. If only they had kept "Le Jazz Hot" and "Crazy World" and let Jerry Herman do a whole new score!!

Still one of my favorite guilty pleasures, though.

Updated On: 6/18/09 at 01:28 PM

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:23pm

I guess I should revisit the dvd. It was given to me a few years ago and I was terribly bored.

[degrassifan]

Posted: 6/18/09 at 2:46pm

Well, I watched it and I liked it. I think Julie Andrews was amazing as usual, and it was funny. I only had two disappointments:

1. Victoria didn't reveal herself as Victor at the end of Le Jazz Hot.

2. To me, Le Jazz Hot was stronger in the movie. I think Julie's voice was beginning to fade around that time, which is really unfortunate.

I wish I could see Julie Andrews on stage live. I know one of her greatest wishes was having the stage version of My Fair Lady filmed in order to preserve her work on it and maybe showing it to her grandchildren someday (it was in a book).