Woman in White and the book

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 4:02pm

I just finished reading the book (well, a couple of days ago) and re-listened to the cast recording. I haven't seen the show, so I'm wondering if someone who's seen the show and read the book can tell me how they match up? From the cast recording it seems like they changed a LOT from the book. Of course, the book was overly complicated and elaborate, but I'm not so sure it seems like the show was stream-lined much - just changed. Was Marian still ugly - Maria Friedman isn't ugly - and if they made her ugly wouldn't that just be too Fosca again? Was Madame Fosco in it at all? It seems like they changed the entire ending...

I'm actually kind of surprised the book is still around now - it's OK, but it's certainly no classic on par with Dickens which it clearly aspires to be. The plot is unnecessarily convoluted, and coincidence is used just a little often to explain things. I liked the way different narrators were used, though that also seemed kind of gimmicky. The only time it REALLY worked was the chapter Mr. Fairlie narrated - that was actually pretty amusing.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 4:05pm

Maria is pretty in her own way, but she is not a typical beauty, and she is also older than the actress playing Laura. So, it worked fine.

[jasonf]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 4:38pm

That may be, but the book describes Marian as being UGLY. Mannish, with a mustache and all. Maria Friedman may not be typically beautiful - but she's NOT that.

And as a side note- the woman who plays Anne on the recording - did she learn how to sing from a young Allison Fraser?

[EganFan2]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 9:39pm

That's Angela Christian. She sings on the "Thoroughly Modern Millie" OBC CD as Miss Dorothy. Quite a difference.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 7/16/06 at 10:03pm

I like how Anne sings. Her voice sounds like she is diving deeper into madness everytime she sings. I think it fits the role perfectly.