Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

#1

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/14/10 at 9:45pm

Should I try to get a ticket before one pair leaves or after the new pair has arrived? I've seen none of these actresses perform in anything so I have no bias. But I still would like to know what everyone else thinks. Any help is appreciated. :)

#2

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/14/10 at 9:48pm

Wait for the special Lansbury/Stritch matinee.

#3

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:04pm

It's so apples and oranges. Zeta Jones is very talented (and now has 2/3 of the trifecta to prove it, both earned in musicals) and Angela Lansbury is Angela Friggin' Lansbury, who you'll probably never have a chance to see live onstage again.

Peters has always left me cold and Stritch is an endurance record on two legs; nobody who drank that much should still be standing, but she's a medium musical theater talent at best who has spun a so-so career into pure one-woman-show gold and a curmudgeonly persona.

Were it, me, I'd rather see Angela Lansbury one last time, to add to my memories of Mame and Sweeney Todd. She's the one true goddess in the group.

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#4

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/14/10 at 10:11pm

She's the one true goddess in the group. = SO TRUE.

#5

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:38am

Peters/Lansbury

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"it's a dirty little war"

Updated On: 6/15/10 at 09:38 AM

#6

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 9:42am

I always hate to "predict" how good or bad someone would be in any role -- they should have a chance to SHOW us what they can do with it, but I'm having a hard time (as much as I LOVE Elaine Stritch, matching the wonderful depth and sophistication that Ms. Lansbury brought to the role). And while I kind of entered ALNM with a chip on my shoulder thinking CZJ wouldn't be great, I was truly blow away by her performance -- I'm more hung up on acting than I am on musical "perfection". But I'd love to see Ms. Peters take on the role too.

Sorry, I guess I'm not answering the question at all. But I agree with the poster who said Peters/Lansbury. What a wonderful pair that would make in my opinion.

#7

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:15pm

Piper, you never even saw CZJ/Lansbury. We get it, you hate CZJ.

Updated On: 6/15/10 at 12:15 PM

#8

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:35pm

There's only one answer to your question: See both pairs, and be able to speak for yourself.

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#9

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:45pm

There's only one answer to your question: See both pairs, and be able to speak for yourself.

What a NOVEL IDEA!

#10

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:48pm

You can't really say that this is the last time you'll be able to Angela Lansbury on Stage.
That was said after "Deuce" and "Blithe Spirit"...but I can understand why!

The same can be said for Elaine Stritch.

I've seen Angela Lansbury in "Deuce" and am one of the 5 people who liked the show!
I've never seen Peters or Stritch so I guess I'll just wait for them...since I can't get there by this weekend.

Also, I think that Elaine Stritch can better capture the character of Madame Armfeldt than what I have seen online and the recording of Angela Lansbury.
I think that if Stritch does "Stritch" it will suit the character wonderfully!

#11

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:49pm

I think that if Stritch does "Stritch" it will suit the character wonderfully!

Ummm. No. Stritch will surely need to act for this character.

#12

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 12:53pm

I think that if she acts sardonic and sarcastic, with her "been there, done that" attitude it will work well.

#13

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 1:04pm

Yeah, but Madame Armfeldt needs to display a high level of sophistication.

#14

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 1:04pm

No, it won't. That's not what the role calls for. Stritch is a tough, grizzled old bird while the role's originator, Hermione Gingold - who we should assume was Sondhiem's vision - played the part as the wisest woman in the room throughout her storied life, a cortesan who had parlayed her splayed position into a tiny Titian and her moral bankruptcy into a small duchy.

The part calls for refinement, not coarseness.

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#15

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 1:37pm

She HAD refinement.
Elaine Stritch on the 2006 PBS Series 'Song by Song: Dorothy Fields' sings 'He Had Refinement' from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

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#16

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 2:47pm

"Piper, you never even saw CZJ/Lansbury. We get it, you hate CZJ. "

LMAO. actually, you don't get it. not by a long shot.
I also forgot I am probably jealous of her too. Because I am not a fan.

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"it's a dirty little war"

Updated On: 6/15/10 at 02:47 PM

#17

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 2:53pm

I'm going to Peters/Stritch July 13th.

I'm going to Zeta Jones tonight, because according to a new note on Telecharge, Lansbury is out tonight. Anyone know who her understudy us?

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"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008

#18

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 3:40pm

Zeta-Jones, Lansbury, Peters, Stritch. Stritch, Peters, Lansbury, Zeta-Jones. Zeta-Jones, Lansbury, Peters, Stritch. Stritch, Peters, Lansbury, Zeta-Jones.

AND YOU WONDER WHY I DRANK?!?!?!

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"Broadway...I'll lick you yet!"

#19

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 3:54pm

"I'm going to Zeta Jones tonight, because according to a new note on Telecharge, Lansbury is out tonight. Anyone know who her understudy us?"

Their website says Karen Murphy. Is Lansbury sick or was she scheduled to miss this show?

#20

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 3:58pm

I bought my ticket for tonight last Friday, but I didn't see that note there at that point. So who knows.

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"Hey little girls, look at all the men in shiny shirts and no wives!" - Jackie Hoffman, Xanadu, 19 Feb 2008

#21

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 7:49pm

How long do you think they'll be in the production, I know it's too early to know.

#22

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 7:59pm

Till November 7th, according to the website.

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Give me claws and a hunch, just away from this bunch.

Updated On: 6/15/10 at 07:59 PM

#23

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/15/10 at 10:27pm

" Hermione Gingold - who we should assume was Sondhiem's vision "

And that's assuming a lot. Hermione Gingold, Sondheim has said, was not his first choice, and he never seemed entirely pleased with her. AT least that's the impression I got when he spoke with Frank Rich about a year ago. To him, she was too concerned with performing to actually do the character justice.

Maybe I'm misremembering, but I seem to remember him not being too kind on the subject.

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Some people paint, some people sew, I meddle.

#24

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/16/10 at 2:30am

Let's not forget that Sondheim has been involved with this production, thus comments that this production is not his vision or that certain performances are not what the character should be or what the song is about are really kinda foolish if you think about it.

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#25

Zeta-Jones/Lansbury or Peters/Stritch?

Posted: 6/16/10 at 7:35am

Sondheim has said fascinating and contradictory things about what the song is about. And when he speaks of "Desiree's anger," he does not necessarily endorse every possible expression a performer can make of that anger. Some acting choices are more "right" than others.

Also, he is a gentleman and would never make disparaging comments about someone currently performing in one of his shows.

Unlike one of his still-living nonagenarian collaborators on another one of his currently running shows, Sondheim would only be publicly supportive of his stars.

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