What Crack Was Webber Smoking?

To fire Patti Lupone and replace her with Close? Listening to the London recording of Sunset, I find Lupone to be miles better than Close, not only vocally but acting too. Close's Norma is just so over the top, and well, sung oddly. But Lupone gives a crisp, detailed, and electrifying performance.

At least she got a swimming pool out of the deal.

Yes, I am. I adore Patti, and I think she gets too much flack. Yes, I find her Norma to be all those things, and then some.

I'll keep my thoughts on Close to myself.

I agree! Patti's Norma was the best and Webber should have simply said "No Patti, No Sunset", Just as he had in Phantom with "No Sarah, No Phantom. Apparently he lost his balls at that time though. Close was awful!

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Updated On: 1/6/06 at 03:08 PM

Bobby, Did you get to see them both perform live in the show? I saw Glenn in LA and she was incredible!

Plus, the character of Norma is kinda odd to begin with...I think Glenn's voice matches Norma's personality.

Updated On: 1/6/06 at 03:20 PM

You have to understand the decision in context. Webber (or somebody) got the bright idea that they were going to snub Broadway and premiere the show in LA. (You will notice the cast recording is not dubbed Broadway Cast Recording, but LA Cast Recording). With this decision, they also decided they wanted a "movie star" to play Norma. LuPone was not a Hollywood name. I think ALW really wanted Barbra Streisand because he allowed her the first American recording of the songs. But Close finally bagged the role (obviously at some point Faye Dunaway was being considered as she was announced as Close's replacement).

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WAAAAAAAY after Evita (Evita was 1978 and Sunset Boulevard 1993)!!!!

I heard a rumor that the way Patti "found out" that she might not be doing Broadway is that she called the production office in NY or something and they (as usual) had songs from Sunset Boulevard as the hold music . . . but it was no longer her renditions of the songs . . . they were playing Barbra Streisands versions.

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Updated On: 1/6/06 at 04:13 PM

"was this before or after Evita? apparently, she hated being in Evita so maybe she wasn't fired but quit."

It was after Evita. LuPone didn't quit. It was in her contract to do the American version and would have been her triumphant return to Broadway. She wanted it bad!! ALW had to pay her $$$$$ to honor her contract.

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I saw Close in Sunset Blvd in Los Angeles as well and 10 years later the performance is still fresh in my mind. Despite the fact that she has many ALW ballads to belt, Norma is primarily an actor's role, not a singer's role like Christine in Phantom.

I agree, what Close lacked in musical talent she made up for in acting ability. Her performance was truly heart-wrenching, shocking, chilling, and tragic. Also, I think having a film star play a silent-film era star who's past her prime made Close identify with the character more than a typical Broadway actor could. There was a believability and reality to the performance, as if Close knew her career could follow Norma's within a couple years (though I pray that never happens). It would have been really fun to see Fay Dunnoway--who as we all know was to replace Close in LA but was fired days before her premiere--as Norma because Fay Dunnoway IS past her prime as well.

I have both the World Premiere and the Los Angeles recordings, and while I agree LuPone is more pleasant to listen to, but Close is more raw and reall and flat-out crazy in all the right moments, exactly as the character should be and very close to how Gloria Swanson played it in the original film.

I never saw either performer live so I don't think I have much input in the discussion. However, I've heard both recordings and I've seen the Sunset Blvd. original film. To whoever said that Glenn Close's performance is too over the top, then she's right on, Norma Desmond is over the top, she's larger than life, she believes herself to be someone as relevant as Salome. On recording, Close captures that essence, her weakness as a singer creates a vulnerability hidden behind Norma's greatness. Her As If We Never Said Goodbye is orgasmic, and I hate Lloyd Webber, but this song as performed by Close is pure brilliance. Petula Clark's version is very unique as well. On an interview that's on playbill.com Lloyd Webber argues that the show works better with a movie star than with a theater diva (he mentions Elaine Page, not LuPone). I think what he did to LuPone was very low though.

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I believe Lupone said that she paid for her swimming pool with the settlement money she got from Webber.

Lupone jokes about it saying she has the ALW swimming pool

I hear Elaine Page was the best Norma. We saw it with Close who resembled a cigar store indian when made up. Lupone would have been better

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ok. first. the title line is a bit rude. come one guys. be a little less..obvious. dont ask what he was smoking. ask why he was smoking it in the first place.
patti and betty rocked. firing patti and hiring that frumpy, listless, tired...Close. nough said.
oi.

rockfenris2005, what are you talking about?

I've been a dyed-in-the-wool Patti fan since the moment I discovered musical theater, but I have learned over the years that many people do not like her. I can live with that. But, come on...

Kevin Anderson and Meredith Braun were amazing on that recording. The L.A. cast was good, but don't dismiss the ENTIRE London album. They were anything but whining.

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