What Crack Was Webber Smoking?- Page 2

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 3:52am

Glenn won the Tony award. Her singing was very decent and she was acting with every word she sang. Patti is a great singer...but on the recording she seemed cold...not too much emotion...besides the fact that Glenn's recording had a full orchestra and Patti's didn't. I think Glenn is top notch. But what the hell...it's just an opinion. What is not an opinion is that Glenn is way more known than Lupone and brings attention to any show she is in. Lupone(I think she is brilliant, eventho i hate her show on Bway now) is mainly just known among Broadway lovers.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 3:54am

OK, I'll be more fair...

Every time I hear or see Meredith Braun sing I burst into tears. She's one of the only singers that has that effect on me, save for this emerging singer from Australia who totally blew me away. He sang a cool version of The Prayer.

From the first time I saw her in Muppet Christmas Carol, then Les Miserables, it was like she was a ghost. There's something about her that's so eerie and pretty. But the way she sounded on this recording I didn't even recognize her. Not everyone is bad, I must say, but the quality of the recording: and Kevin's atrocious "acting" (come on, it's a THEATRICAL RECORDING, not just a "normal studio album". There's a difference! The LES MIS OLC made the same mistake. You're not supposed to go in there and just "sing" it. You're supposed to treat it as if it was a performance. And that's what the Glenn Close cast did). Plus she shoots him with a stapler LOL.

It's Patti's singing, like she's got a cigarette up her nose (sometimes she's very moving, other times she's just horrible), and Kevin Anderson like a whining baby. Everyone else seem to be O.K. It's just that it lacks dramatic emphasis, or any kind of "zest" or inspiration. It's un-inspired. They'd rather be sleeping it off, recording their snoring.

I dunno, I've never liked this album

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 3:56am

and by the way ...Judy Kuhn is amazing in the Broadway recording...she hits all the notes. Awesome singer.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 4:08am

Ok, I'll buy that. I liked Kevin Anderson, but that doesn't mean you have to. Sunset was my first time ever hearing Meredith Braun, and I just fell in love with her. So much so that hearing Judy Kuhn sing the role, (and I love Judy Kuhn), seemed kind of hard-edged and flinty. That might work well for the Hollywood portrayed in the story, but to my mind, Betty Schaefer will always be the sweet, innocent-voiced ingenue that Meredith Braun sang.
Totally off-topic:
I was later disappointed my Meredith Braun, but I don't think that was her fault. I heard a lot of rave reviews about her in the Manchester recording of Les Mis, but didn't feel like she lived up to the standard set by Frances Rufelle or Linzi Hateley. I probably would have liked it better if her reviewers hadn't gone so far out of their way to disparage the other singers in favor of her.

Updated On: 1/7/06 at 04:08 AM

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 4:08am

No offense. But everytime I hear her sing I can't help but yell out: "POCAHONTAS!"

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 4:16am

so Linzi played the role of Betty Schaffer? i didn't know that...she was soooo good in "Joseph".

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 4:19am

I don't know of any time that Linzi played that role, but she would have been great in it.
No, I was referring to Linzi as Eponine in Les Mis. Sorry for the confusion.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 4:21am

LOL...no prob.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 4:53am

Crawford and Braun in Phantom. I'd pay any price in the world to see this

[Sant]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 6:42am

When the Broadway production was put up it was the one of the most expensive productions ever on Broadway. The investors wanted to play it safe and have a leading actress (=Norma) who would guarantee a massive ticket sale. Unfortunately Patti wasn't big enough to do that. Glenn Close was. And after Close got such rave reviews for her performance in L.A. and Patti had gotten some, well, not-so-good reviews from NYC critics who had seen her performance in London, the investors insisted on Glenn playing the role.

As for the recordings, I prefer the American version. Not only is it the whole show recorded there, but also the performances are much better. Patti sings the songs better than Close, but Patti's performance is so 'cold' and emotionless. But her "With One Look" is marvellous! Slow enough, taking her time with it, in the original key... But overall Close and her cast do so much better job with their roles.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 8:09am

Rock, Anthony Callea's THE PRAYER was awesome, but I hope his horrible CARWASH put you in tears of agony, not any other emotion...

Anywho, I still think Barbra should have done it...And she should do any film they do of this very mediocre show...

[jacco]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 9:57am

I saw LuPone, Buckley, Petula Clark and Elaine Paige. There is no doubt in my mind that this show belonged to betty Buckley. Legendary performance...... LuPone was great vocally, but neer really landed the part..... Paige was great fun (humor!) but Clark was awful. I wish I could have seen Close but HATE her recording. I treasure the cd of Betty Buckley.....

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 10:32am

Hey, let's give Diahann Carroll and the Canadian cast some love, too! Kidding. Seriously, I have no idea how she was. Did anyone see Carroll (and Rex Smith)?

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 1/7/06 at 10:36am

When a show does so good in LA in both the box office and in the press with a certain star wouldn't you make sure that star went on to Broadway? Critics and audiences have been bad news for live theatre for a very long time, Close was a smash, she worked in the show there. I should also mention that LuPone was not fired, she was bought out; however Faye Dunaway was fired from the role just before taking Closes place and they closed the LA production and sold the sets to the Toronto production.
It is true Close dose not have the most beautiful voice, but you should never judge a stage performance based on a cast recording, because you are missing out on about 75% of that persons performance, and in her defense she does quite well on stage.

[jollipops]

Posted: 1/8/06 at 12:13am

I think that we may be forgetting that this is a movie? Film producers want to rake in the most returns possible and that's all. They aren't there to please the Broadway theatre fans, they want to attract as wide an audience as possible.

Think about it: if you didn't know anything about Broadway and went to the movies and looked at the poster of Sunset Boulevard, what would be more attractive? Glenn Close, a seasoned and known actress in movies, or Patti LuWHO???

[Fosse76]

Posted: 1/20/06 at 3:50pm

What are YOU smoking???? This isn't a movie. This is a discussion of Andrew Lloyd Webber's STAGE version of Sunset Boulevard.

[lovinlife]

Posted: 1/20/06 at 4:13pm

Close acted the scenes better, LuPone sang the songs better than Close. Buckley was the vocally strongest Norma to me.

[BoxFive]

Posted: 1/20/06 at 7:57pm

Sorry Bobby, I usually agree with you, but having seen both women play the role, I'll stand firmly behind Close, her Norma was an acting and singing powerhouse live, it sent chills up my spine, it stands as one of the top ten live performances I've ever been witness to, such daring choices.

I'll also say that Betty Buckley,Karen Mason and Elaine Paige were wonderful also, Patti was the LEAST inspired in the acting department. Her singing was also not best in regards to the score, Buckley wins that battle with Mason a "close" second.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 1/20/06 at 9:57pm

In response to Chris' question concerning Diahann Carroll....having seen the show four times, she was my least favorite Norma. However her charisma free portrayl put a whole new spin on the show for me which I really enjoyed. For the first time Joe Gillis' character as performed by Rex Smith became the most interesting role. Smith was wonderful in the part and the audience definitely seemed more interested in him which is pretty amazing since the Norma role is so overpowering. The reason I've always liked this show is that it allows an actress to give her personal take on the Norma character. Buckely was very subdued and almost seemed like a wounded animal. She was less a diva than any of the others yet her vocals were incredible. Clarke played the role completely different. She was more like a Mame Dennis gone astray. Ditzy and comical she really didn't come to life until the second act. Paige was a Swanson clone. Back to Carroll though...although she did nothing for me it was obvious she saved ALL her energy for the final staircase scene. Listen to the Canadian cast recording and you'll think she's great in the role. As far as the movie goes I still would like the part to go to Streisand more out of curiosity than anything else. My only reservations are that other than "Funny Girl" I've never really cared much for Babs as an actress yet it would make a great musical swan song for a Broadway/film legend.

[tourboi]

Posted: 1/20/06 at 10:17pm

Wow. I disagree.

I find Close's line delivery rich, superbly timed, comic in the right moments, and over all simply sublime. True, LuPone may be the better singer...however, Close plays Norma to the finest. LuPone sounds, frankly, dull on the recording in terms of character.

[Joe Mike2]

Posted: 1/20/06 at 11:05pm

Thank you, Bobby. I agree completely. I saw them both and Close was a HUGE disappointment to me -- not only vocally but in the over the top performance. She played Norma as if she were 80 years old. Norma is 50. This is not a matter of interpretation. She has to be 50 to have been a silent film star. PATTI rules!

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 1:19am

Elaine Paige understands Norma in a way the other actresses are incapable of. She lets Norma seep through her pores and inhabit her day and night. Each word that she releases appears to come from someone and someplace else. Her voice mirrors the pain she suffers everyday and the emptiness of her pathetic existence. When she sings, however, she is alive again and makes sure that every member of that audience is to. I don'[t think anyone has doen the role better.

[camthom]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 1:45am

Another vote for Close here...

Patti sang it amazingly well, yes, but a strong voiced diva is NOT who Norma Desmond is.

Back when all the sh*t hit the fan, the story was that ALW liked Glenn's scene work and song work better than Patti's. Patti never sued ALW, she was paid out of her contract and first right of refusal on the role. So yes ALW bought her swimming pool, but it's not as if they were in court discussing artistic decisions.

Glenn's performance while not note perfect, was flawless. She brought such humanity to the role, something I've not seen Patti do until Sweeney...and she been around for a while.

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 7:48am

I've never seen Glenn Close as Norma, so I can't comment on her (I do believe that she is a fantastic actress, though) I saw the show with Patti in London and I thought that it was ok. I was not impressed with her. After some time, I saw the show again with Elaine Paige and I thought...WOW !!! She was incredible !!! Unbelievable voice, wonderful acting, she really nailed Norma !! Still to this day, I think of her performance, as one of the most magical things I've seen on stage !

[Practically Perfect]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 2:31pm

I have to agree that Elaine Paige's performance in Sunset was quite extraordinary, and that one performance has stuck with me ever since. She had such power to her voice, and her acting was heart-wrenching - she truly was Norma Desmond. Glenn Close should never have touched that score. I never saw Patti's performance, but love her renditions of the songs on the London cast recording. Petula Clarke-there are no words... just dreadful!

Mary P x