Would HAIRSPRAY be as successful if a woman played Edna?

Another recent post in which someone asked why the character of Edna is always played by a man got me thinking about this. Do you think HAIRSPRAY would have been such a huge success when it opened if Edna was played by a woman? I guess my feelings are mixed. Ultimately, I think it's the great score and story that audiences have embraced over the years. But Harvey's origination of Edna in the musical version was untouchable.. and took the musical to a different level. So I guess I'd say yes, it would still be successful.. but having Harvey as one of your stars certainly helps!

And speaking of Edna.. can someone explain to me why the line "You want to be famous? Learn how to get blood out of car upholstry" is so funny? Call me stupid but I've just never understood the genius of that joke. I was watching that scene on 'that' site the other day and when Harvey said it, the audience exploded in laughter.

Thanks!

Updated On: 5/27/08 at 01:01 PM

I think it is the John Water's humor. Blood in the backseat implies, well, loosing one's virginity in the backseat. Kinda part of the dicotomy of "good" girls and "bad" girls.

And, yes the part could be played by a woman, but why. It is a tribute to John Water's and Divine...should stay that way.

Updated On: 8/31/08 at 01:07 PM

yes, a woman could play Edna, but you are losing alot of your comedy, as well as your message. The theme of not judging a book by its cover, and the idea of acceptance no matter ones weight, sex, or whatever works better having a man play a woman.

Rosie would be good..... and also grossly offended.

Not the main topic of this thread, but I always thought the "blood out of car upholstery" line was a reference to the high frequency of teenage car accidents, and so if you got the blood of the upholstery, you could sell the car for a better price than you could if there was blood. I never thought of the losing your virginity in the backseat argument.

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You skipped school a lot, didn't you?

HAIRSPRAY takes place in 1962. John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.

I'm just sayin'.



NOTE: corrected, mon ami.

Updated On: 5/27/08 at 02:08 PM

The role of Edna Turnblad was written for him and as an homage to his memory, will always be played by a male actor. Just a fact

Unless a High School stupidly thinks it's not right and makes it a woman.

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Brody: I know that Hairspray takes place before the JFK assassination, I just thought it was one of those "the audience gets it but the characters don't" kind of thing. Like I said, I have no idea how I came to that conclusion but I did. :)

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Suomalaiset osaavat tehdä seksikkään teatterin, kyllä?

I've never gotten over the matron sitting next to me during an early performance of Hairspray. At intermission she said, "You seem to know what's going on. Who's the woman playing the mother? Everyone cheered for her when she entered. Is she famous? She certainly is good." I found it amazing that anyone didn't realize that Harvey Fierstein was a man. She didn't believe me for a while.

The best Ednas have been male as they bring a real crudeness to the character -- and make her funny, exaggerated, yet lovable at the same time. A woman playing it, would perhaps miss that edginess. But then in my book, so did John Travolta. There was nothing "crude" about his Edna, which I found a big yawn.

" But Harvey's origination of Edna in the musical version was untouchable.. "

It was Divine who was untouchable and Travolta's attempt at it was a travesty. I walked out after 20 minutes.

Oh-also, I wouldn't necessarily use the (aka Divine) next to the name Glenn Milstead. He was only known as Divine.

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Updated On: 5/28/08 at 03:06 PM