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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 17, 2023 3:51:48 GMT
What’s Mandy Holden up to these days? 🙂
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Post by theatrefan62 on May 17, 2023 5:59:05 GMT
I'm amazed how dismissive people are of the importance of acting in Sunset. Nicole is completely unproven and inexperienced in that regard. Don't think the cringe yoghurt commercials count.
Also performing in concerts is completely different to 8 shows a week in a musical, and a heavily dramatic one at that. That's like saying a west end musical actor could go and do a PCD concert at the O2. Plus concerts aren't always live sung anyway.
I also agree I'm not sure of her pulling power. Cats was a long time ago and like someone said, it was a combination of a well loved piece returning, Christmas, and PCD still in recent memory. Since then she has really struggled to forge a career in the UK.
If this were someone from girls aloud or something people would be up in arms.
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19,650 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 17, 2023 6:34:03 GMT
The 8 shows a week thing is a non argument these days. Jessie Buckley, Lucie Jones and their producers have made not showing up for a full week the new normal. I agree with the rest though!
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Post by distantcousin on May 17, 2023 8:00:45 GMT
Rob Houchen has no edge whatsoever. I'm fed up with the many fresh faced pretty boys cast in that role.
The character needs to be rougher around the edges. Danny Mac was excellent. As was Ben Goddard in the 00's.
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1,995 posts
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Post by distantcousin on May 17, 2023 8:01:58 GMT
I'm amazed how dismissive people are of the importance of acting in Sunset. Nicole is completely unproven and inexperienced in that regard. Don't think the cringe yoghurt commercials count. Also performing in concerts is completely different to 8 shows a week in a musical, and a heavily dramatic one at that. That's like saying a west end musical actor could go and do a PCD concert at the O2. Plus concerts aren't always live sung anyway. I also agree I'm not sure of her pulling power. Cats was a long time ago and like someone said, it was a combination of a well loved piece returning, Christmas, and PCD still in recent memory. Since then she has really struggled to forge a career in the UK. If this were someone from girls aloud or something people would be up in arms. Her Cats pulling power was off the back of being watched by millions every Saturday night on The X Factor for a number of years. That era is ancient history now. |
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Post by christya on May 17, 2023 9:37:48 GMT
Nicole has a beautiful voice, but if anything that's not a recommendation for this role, unless she can change it up a little by actually acting the part. Glenn Close is not a fantastic singer by any means, but she has a serviceable voice with a good range to it, and the acting ability to take that and make a fantastic Norma. After all, there's a reason Norma didn't make it in talkies. Someone like Nicole would probably sound lovely, and be utterly unbelievable as Norma.
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Post by ilovewemusicals on May 17, 2023 10:06:51 GMT
And now, Mr DeMille, I'm ready for the official announcement.
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Post by max on May 17, 2023 11:00:15 GMT
I guess, if Nicole, her beauty would mean we're watching Norma's deluded memory of her former powers. How would that be clear? The older/real Norma wandering the stage in ghostly fashion, lol
Okay, it's a terrible Idea, but I can imagine it happening.
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19,650 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 17, 2023 11:03:09 GMT
Or they can just make her up in a way that makes her look grotesque. It’s theatre darlings! Lights! Greasepaint! Smoke and mirrors!
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Post by max on May 17, 2023 11:04:46 GMT
Retitled:
"Sunset Boulevard - Next To Norma"
Strapline ".
"Nothing's wrong with being 44"
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Post by max on May 17, 2023 11:08:30 GMT
Or they can just make her up in a way that makes her look grotesque. It’s theatre darlings! Lights! Greasepaint! Smoke and mirrors! True, but a directorial note to "sing it a bit more sh*t darling" slightly defeats the point of casting. |
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Post by theatrefan62 on May 17, 2023 11:13:17 GMT
I'm amazed how dismissive people are of the importance of acting in Sunset. Nicole is completely unproven and inexperienced in that regard. Don't think the cringe yoghurt commercials count. Also performing in concerts is completely different to 8 shows a week in a musical, and a heavily dramatic one at that. That's like saying a west end musical actor could go and do a PCD concert at the O2. Plus concerts aren't always live sung anyway. I also agree I'm not sure of her pulling power. Cats was a long time ago and like someone said, it was a combination of a well loved piece returning, Christmas, and PCD still in recent memory. Since then she has really struggled to forge a career in the UK. If this were someone from girls aloud or something people would be up in arms. Her Cats pulling power was off the back of being watched by millions every Saturday night on The X Factor for a number of years. That era is ancient history now. That's true I'd forgotten about xfactor. |
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Post by theatrefan62 on May 17, 2023 11:14:54 GMT
Rob Houchen has no edge whatsoever. I'm fed up with the many fresh faced pretty boys cast in that role. The character needs to be rougher around the edges. Danny Mac was excellent. As was Ben Goddard in the 00's. Completely agree on the first part, Joe is often underrated and written off as a pretty boy role. Disagree on Danny Mac though, he was more pretty boy without bite. I though Michael Xavier was too 'nice' too. |
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Post by capybara on May 17, 2023 11:21:21 GMT
What’s Mandy Holden up to these days? 🙂 Doing up more villas in Italy with Alan Carr! |
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Post by BVM on May 17, 2023 11:29:40 GMT
The casting of Norma Desmond certainly evokes very strong feelings. I guess it is one of the all time great musical theatre roles.
Would I be committing heresy in these parts by saying I didn't like Glenn?! (It's ok, I already know the answer....). I understand people thought her characterisation was next level but for me it couldn't detract from the anxiety wondering how she was gonna cope with the musical crescendo and final notes of With One Look and As If We Never Said Goodbye (alas she didn't nail either). I dunno. These are such incredible songs that I just want to hear them sung with perfect pitch, power and tone. For that reason I'd definitely take a Nicole over a Glenn. (Caveat is that I did see her at the ENO just after she'd got back from being off and on the IV drip so maybe she wasn't at her best. Also all the acting in the world couldn't translate to my million miles away (100 quid plus) upper circle seat. I do have the OBC though and personally for me, her singing voice just doesn't have the most pleasant quality. Anyway, as I said, I do appreciate I am fully in the minority here).
Patti LuPone was my favourite of the "Nunn's Normas" (shame she's gone increasingly angry about everything in life ever since) closely followed by Betty Buckley - both of whom for me proved that you can be am amazing singer and actor. EP a very close third. Absolutely nailed the vocal. Characterisation was excellent but just a modicum too camp.
I wish I could remember better what Faith Brown was like in the RUG tour. Only went once.
I liked Kathryn Evans in the CRH version. And Ria was Ria in the most recent tour. I liked her and she can certainly sing it, but was also slightly too camp - much of this may have been in the direction though I guess.
Anyway, if these rumours are true, then I await with great anticipation who it will be!
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Post by anthony40 on May 17, 2023 11:30:27 GMT
What’s Mandy Holden up to these days? 🙂 She's on Heart Radio every morning and Britain's Got Talent judging. |
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Post by BVM on May 17, 2023 11:36:25 GMT
Agree with what others have said that Joe is often played by too typical romantic male lead types.
I thought the original Joe, Kevin Anderson was perfection. He was also very underrated and almost invisible what with all the Patti LuPone drama. His Joe was cynical, understated, brooding, dark, sexy and slightly mysterious. They guy they then cast in LA/NYC was very much more typical alpha male, as was Barrowman in the West End. Which is less how I imagine the character to be.
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Post by A.Ham on May 17, 2023 11:37:26 GMT
Please not Amanda Holden!! I’m afraid that would definitely rule this out for me.
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Post by theatrefan77 on May 17, 2023 11:39:38 GMT
Totally agree with BVM. Kevin Anderson was the best Joe. Just perfect and worked really well with LuPone. For me it was just the perfect match.
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Post by theatrefan62 on May 17, 2023 11:40:40 GMT
Totally agree. Kevin Anderson was the best Joe. Just perfect and worked really well with LuPone. For me it was just the perfect match. No a fan of Patti personally but completely agree on Kevin, I don't think he has been matched. |
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Post by distantcousin on May 17, 2023 11:44:10 GMT
Retitled: "Sunset Boulevard - Next To Norma" Strapline ". "Nothing's wrong with being 44" Not to be that person, BUT Patti, Glenn, Betty and Elaine were ALL around that age when they first donned the turban....  |
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Post by distantcousin on May 17, 2023 11:45:26 GMT
Rob Houchen has no edge whatsoever. I'm fed up with the many fresh faced pretty boys cast in that role. The character needs to be rougher around the edges. Danny Mac was excellent. As was Ben Goddard in the 00's. Completely agree on the first part, Joe is often underrated and written off as a pretty boy role. Disagree on Danny Mac though, he was more pretty boy without bite. I though Michael Xavier was too 'nice' too. OK. He worked for me. But I'd never seen him in anything else. Xavier was awful. Played to the gallery the entire time, and clearly wanted to be "liked" by the audience. |
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Post by newyorkcityboy on May 17, 2023 11:46:46 GMT
The casting of Norma Desmond certainly evokes very strong feelings. I guess it is one of the all time great musical theatre roles. Would I be committing heresy in these parts by saying I didn't like Glenn?! (It's ok, I already know the answer....). I understand people thought her characterisation was next level but for me it couldn't detract from the anxiety wondering how she was gonna cope with the musical crescendo and final notes of With One Look and As If We Never Said Goodbye (alas she didn't nail either). I dunno. These are such incredible songs that I just want to hear them sung with perfect pitch, power and tone. For that reason I'd definitely take a Nicole over a Glenn. (Caveat is that I did see her at the ENO just after she'd got back from being off and on the IV drip so maybe she wasn't at her best. Also all the acting in the world couldn't translate to my million miles away (100 quid plus) upper circle seat. I do have the OBC though and personally for me, her singing voice just doesn't have the most pleasant quality. Anyway, as I said, I do appreciate I am fully in the minority here). Patti LuPone was my favourite of the "Nunn's Normas" (shame she's gone increasingly angry about everything in life ever since) closely followed by Betty Buckley - both of whom for me proved that you can be am amazing singer and actor. EP a very close third. Absolutely nailed the vocal. Characterisation was excellent but just a modicum too camp. I wish I could remember better what Faith Brown was like in the RUG tour. Only went once. I liked Kathryn Evans in the CRH version. And Ria was Ria in the most recent tour. I liked her and she can certainly sing it, but was also slightly too camp - much of this may have been in the direction though I guess. Anyway, if these rumours are true, then I await with great anticipation who it will be! Faith was good, her voice the complete opposite of Glenn, very warm with earthy tones. I have the CD of her versions of the songs somewhere, I think. |
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Post by og on May 17, 2023 11:46:47 GMT
Please not Amanda Holden!! I’m afraid that would definitely rule this out for me. They'd have to light it all in LED - no tungsten - or her face will melt under the heat |
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Post by theatrefan62 on May 17, 2023 11:47:03 GMT
Bradley Jaden as Joe maybe
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