Who saw FOLLIES in 2001? — Page 3

Totally agree with goldenboy's every word (except I did not see the Patty Duke-Vickie Carr production).

The 2001 revival was pretty terrible, and I was very, very disappointed because I wanted to love it. While I did like some of the performances (many already mentioned,,,PLUS the original Lori from Oklahoma! Just lovely.), I was appalled when Blythe Danner was nominated for a Tony. (Neither the first nor last time a nomination has completely taken me by surprise!)

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SUPPOSEDLY Sondheim said this about the original vs the London productions...

"I stood in the back of the Winter Garden every night saying, 'I love this--why does everyone hate this?' and I stood in the back of the theater in London every night saying, 'I hate this--why does everyone love this?'"

Could be Sondheim apochrypha...but it sounds good!

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Good to hear Jayar and TL's comments about the London production. I had a friend working on this show and she had to really talk me into seeing it - I thought it just wouldn't be for me. However, I was completely blown away and wound up seeing it a few times. I loved the four leads - Diana Rigg was pure class. I loved her interpretation and she did a great 'Ah, But Underneath'. I thought McKenzie sang and acted well but she wasn't great. Linda Barron did the best Mirror Number I've seen. I thought Dolores did a fantastic job with 'I'm Still Here' as did Eartha Kitt who replaced her - totally different interpretation but nonethless show-stopping. Evan Pappas stood out among the four 'younger' leads, I thought. Millicent Martin replaced Diana Rigg and was not good as Phyllis. The whole thing seemed a massive struggle for her. I remember being at the last matinee when the pre-show announcement came 'Ladies and Gentlemen, at this performance the part of Sally Durrant-Plummer will be played by....Miss Julia McKenzie'. The audience went nuts as I think she hadn't been doing many performances toward the end of the run.

The staging was just beautiful. Sitting in the theatre to begin with I couldn't have imagined it - the scaffolding and plastic sheeting covering the proscenium. But then with the ghosts appearing so you could barely make them out through the sheeting so you coule barely make them out and that music...gives me goose-bumps even now. The Loveland set just rising up out of the floor and the gorgeous set numbers. Yes, I loved the elevator doors opening/closing and the lights showing it going up through the floors.

I prefer the revised version of the book. I know that was the first version I saw so maybe I'm biased. However, I subsequently saw other productions using the original book and I thought the revisions kept up the momentum of the show. I did see Paul Kerryson's productions both at Leicester Haymarket and then at the Festival Hall. I really ddidn't like the original book, so I was put off a bit by that. However, I did think that Kathryn Evans at the Festival Hall was a wonderful Sally. I've never seen that woman give a bad performance and her's was the best 'Losing My Mind' I've heard. I also enjoyed Henry Goodman as Buddy in that show but the rest of the casting was poor and I really disliked Diane Langton as Carlotta.

Great to hear others' opinions about the various productions.

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Oh, yes, GoldenBoy, people ARE paying attention because "attention must be paid"! (Sorry for the bad Sondheim joke; my husband's sense of humor is starting to wear off on me.)

Pattifan2 agrees with us...see how easy it is to "pay attention" when you agree with people?

So glad I don't have to feel alone and ashamed because I so enjoyed the London production of Follies. (I, too, was totally impressed with Diana Rigg. I had no idea she could sing. Julia McKenzie...well, has she EVER been bad???)

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