Worst Performances by a gifted actor

#1

Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 12:22am

Forgive me if this has been posted before since I am new to this board. What is the absolute worst peformance given by a prestigous actor or actress?

For me, I will have to say that the worst performance would have to go to Dame Judi Dench. Firstly, let me say that I love her in mostly everything. However, her performance in the West End production of Cabaret was atrocious. Have you heard the recordings or seen any clips? I have and it's not pretty.

#2

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 12:22am

Matthew Broderick in THE MUSIC MAN

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#3

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 12:24am

idina menzel in wicked...

#4

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 12:31am

Nancy Opel in Fiddler.

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#5

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 12:54am

Nortbert Leo Butz in Wicked. The part sucks though - he did the best he could for a visibly approaching-middle aged man playing a school boy.

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#6

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 12:59am

jeff goldblum in the music man

#7

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 1:00am

Harriet Harris in Thoroughly modern millie

#8

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 2:44am

Tom Cavenaugh in Urinetown. There are no words.

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#9

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 3:12am

Michael Crawford - DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES
Idina Menzel - WICKED (acting-wise)
Nancy Opel - FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Matthew Broderick - THE PRODUCERS
Kerry Butler - LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
Eartha Kitt - NINE

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#10

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 7:54am

Eartha Kitt in Nine??? Are you kidding? And you didn't mention John Stamos?

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#11

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 8:19am

The idea that Harriet Harris in "Millie" belongs on a list of bad performances is simply idiotic. Her Tony award was one of the most deserved in years. Her performance was side-splittingly funny and memorable. A posting like that, with no explanation whatsoever for the opinion, is what makes message boards like this seem meaningless and sophomoric.

Meanwhile, I agree that Kerry Butler was unspeakably bad in "Little Shop," but since I didn't see "Hairspray" I have no confirmation that she is a gifted actor in the first place.

#12

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 8:21am

Actually I DID see "Hairspray," but after Butler had left for LSOH.

#13

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 8:27am

I think Kerry Butler is a very talented actress, but she wasn't all that great in "Little Shop". And of course John Stamos just simply should not have taken over for Antonio in "Nine".

#14

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 9:02am

Excuse me, but Sondheimluvchild, did you see Dame Judi Dench in Cabaret in the Original London production???? Because if you did I will take your word for it, but such prestigious theatre columnists like Ken Mandelbaum who really know their stuff have said her performance ranked as one of the best for the character of Sally.

#15

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 9:02am

Excuse me, but Sondheimluvchild, did you see Dame Judi Dench in Cabaret in the Original London production???? Because if you did I will take your word for it, but such prestigious theatre columnists like Ken Mandelbaum who really know their stuff have said her performance ranked as one of the best for the character of Sally.

#16

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 9:32am

Alec Baldwin in STREETCAR

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#17

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 11:02am

Two years ago, I took a theatre class at Oxford University. We spent a good portion of that class discussing Cabaret. Granted, I did not see her perform it live but the I've seen about a dozen clips and listened to the soundtrack countless times. If you could have seen and heard them you would understand why Judi Dench made a horrible Sally. The woman can not sing! And I don't know what reviews you have read about it, but I can assure you that I have read nothing but negative reviews about her performance.

#18

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 11:12am

Some of the worst performances I've seen were victims of long run-itis. Marian Seldes was like a crazy person after several years on Broadway in "Deathtrap". I saw Chip Zien phone in a performance of "Into the Woods" that should have had him suspended from Equity.

#19

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 11:20am

Mandy Patinkin's Sancho in Domingo's studio recording Man of La Mancha

#20

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 11:22am

luvchild - not to put too fine a point on it, but in the original conception, Sally wasn't supposed to be able to sing well - hence Natasha Richardson's casting in the revival.

#21

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 11:44am

Loretta Swit in Drood. Unforgivable!

#22

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 11:46am

Glenn Close in Sunset Blvd....awful does not beging to describe what she did to the score (even after it was rewritten to "help" her) and character

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#23

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 11:57am

Some people who have posted in this thread must not have read the title. It's "Worst Performances by a GIFTED actor". If some of the people mentioned in this thread are supposed to be gifted then god help us.

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#24

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 12:01pm

Kevin Spacey in "See No Evil, Hear No Evil."

#25

re: Worst Performances by a gifted actor

Posted: 12/10/04 at 1:06pm

Sondheimluvchild ----

While I do not doubt you at all and Judi Dench may have been putrid, but Hal Prince purposely cast Sallys that were not polished singers to say that Sally had not become the star of the Cabaret for her talent but for *cough cough* -- uh, other reasons. This is one of the reasons that Liza Minelli lost the role to Jill Hayworth on Broadway. However, after Miss Hayworth left she was replaced by polished Anita Gillete. But I am thinking that Dench's lack of a voice was purposeful.