Would HAIRSPRAY be as successful if a woman played Edna?- Page 2

[maya5892]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 3:40pm

"Suomalaiset osaavat tehdä seksikkään teatterin, kyllä?"

Haha Phylis I just translated this and got:
The Fins can make a sexy theatre, of course?

[maya5892]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 3:47pm

Travolta insisted on playing the role as authentic to being a woman as possible which I believe ruined the whole idea. Travolta was definitely the main reason the film just didn't work.

Thank you! This is exactly what I've been saying since the film came out. He ruined the film for me, pretty much. And he didn't stick true to John Water's original message. If they wanted a woman to play the role, they wouldn't get John Travolta to play it. They'd get a woman. But he wanted the audience to believe he was a woman, and I think that that ruins the whole point of the character.

[Tag]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 3:50pm

Exactly.

[LittlexFallxOfxRain]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 8:20pm

In my opinion, it would have, but I definatley prefer Edna as a man. Either way, the story has a good message, there's a great score and it's a fun family show. I think that Edna as a woman wouldn't keep families from going to see Hairspray.
However, I still would hate for Edna to be played by a woman. It's a funny little quirk to have a man in drag play a woman's part.

edit: In the movie version of Chicago, if you recall, Mary Sunshine was played by a woman and I don't think it affected the movie's sucess yet, it still upset me. But then again, the audience watching Chicago is very different from the audience of Hairspray. Updated On: 5/28/08 at 08:20 PM

[maya5892]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 9:14pm

In the movie version of Chicago, if you recall, Mary Sunshine was played by a woman and I don't think it affected the movie's sucess yet, it still upset me. But then again, the audience watching Chicago is very different from the audience of Hairspray.

Also, Mary Sunshine is not a lead.

[LittlexFallxOfxRain]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 9:24pm

"Also, Mary Sunshine is not a lead."

True, but I still believe that in either case it takes something away from the show.

[nasty_khakis]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 9:32pm

well, mary sunshine's song was cut. so she really didn't need a "gimmick/vaudeville theme" or whatever. i was still bugged by her being played by a woman, but not enough to let it ruin the movie or even christine baranski in it.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 10:04pm

Back on the blood, I've always loved Jerry Seinfeld's lin: "Hey, I heard that Cheer detergent now says it's great for removing bloodstains. Frankly, if you have a t-shirt soaked in blood, laundry is not your most pressing problem."

Posted: 5/28/08 at 10:06pm

Deborah Gibson could play Edna...and the show would still do well.

it has a great book, great score, great dancing and overall feel good fun.
Edna is not the main focal point of the show.

costumes, set and story is.