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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2020 14:08:26 GMT
Personally I think Imelda is better in plays than musicals, but she acts the hell out of her musical appearances and finds parts of the character others might not. I think Dolly is more suited to the comedy angle and that’s not something I’d associate with Imelda, but I’m willing to give it a go.
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Post by intoanewlife on Apr 24, 2020 15:31:33 GMT
I'll stick with my memories of Bette, thanks. Really? I've tried to scrub it from my brain, unfortunately it's still there.... |
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Post by digipal on Apr 24, 2020 17:28:54 GMT
I've only ever seen Imelda on stage in musicals: Sweeney Todd and Gypsy and IMHO she handled the comedy, the tragedy and drama perfectly
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Post by sph on Apr 25, 2020 15:26:18 GMT
I think Imelda Staunton is obviously a terrific actress and I did love Gypsy, but for Dolly I was hoping for something a bit more... exciting. Like when it was announced that Bette Midler was doing it in NY - genius casting! A big iconic star returning to the stage with comedy, glamour and a huge fanbase. Whether you like her or not just the casting itself was show-stopping.
Staunton does West End shows all the time and is more of a "meat and potatoes ACTRESS" - someone who can really play a part and I'm sure she'll be great. It would have just been a bit more exciting to have a big, dazzling star that no one expected.
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Post by callum on Apr 25, 2020 22:33:11 GMT
Yes I agree. But who are the UK equivalents to the legendary multi-talented singers/actresses/entertainers like Midler, Streisand, Cher, Dolly, Liza etc?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2020 22:50:30 GMT
Yes I agree. But who are the UK equivalents to the legendary multi-talented singers/actresses/entertainers like Midler, Streisand, Cher, Dolly, Liza etc? Errrr, Imelda? (And we have come full circle!) |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2020 23:05:29 GMT
Yes I agree. But who are the UK equivalents to the legendary multi-talented singers/actresses/entertainers like Midler, Streisand, Cher, Dolly, Liza etc? I was trying to work this out the other day and I came up blank - we don’t have a legendary triple-threat a-list British actress. The closest I can get is Julie Andrews, but sadly we all know what happened there. I suppose Angela Lansbury, but she’s in her 90s now and left the UK decades ago. The only other name I can come up with is Catherine Zeta Jones, but she still falls short in the stardom category compared to Midler, Cher, Dolly etc. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2020 23:33:27 GMT
Yes I agree. But who are the UK equivalents to the legendary multi-talented singers/actresses/entertainers like Midler, Streisand, Cher, Dolly, Liza etc? I was trying to work this out the other day and I came up blank - we don’t have a legendary triple-threat a-list British actress. The closest I can get is Julie Andrews, but sadly we all know what happened there. I suppose Angela Lansbury, but she’s in her 90s now and left the UK decades ago. The only other name I can come up with is Catherine Zeta Jones, but she still falls short in the stardom category compared to Midler, Cher, Dolly etc. It's interesting isn't it, we don't have triple threats really. EP was very much a singer. More latterly people like Kerry Ellis - singer. Imelda - I guess actor who can sing. Is difficult! |
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Post by sph on Apr 26, 2020 1:05:32 GMT
It wouldn't necessarily need to be a triple threat - a big personality who can act and do comedy is enough.
Catherine Zeta-Jones is an interesting one. Emma Thompson? Joanna Lumley would be wonderful actually...
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Post by stevej678 on Apr 26, 2020 6:41:06 GMT
Yes I agree. But who are the UK equivalents to the legendary multi-talented singers/actresses/entertainers like Midler, Streisand, Cher, Dolly, Liza etc? Erm... ![]()  |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2020 8:02:04 GMT
It wouldn't necessarily need to be a triple threat - a big personality who can act and do comedy is enough. Catherine Zeta-Jones is an interesting one. Emma Thompson? Joanna Lumley would be wonderful actually... Emma Thompson would be dreadful. Joanna Lumley is a national treasure but is her brand of humour not a bit too sarcastic and dry? |
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Post by danb on Apr 26, 2020 8:28:35 GMT
Three words. Sally. Ann. Triplett.
Time for the world to catch up...
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2020 8:37:51 GMT
It wouldn't necessarily need to be a triple threat - a big personality who can act and do comedy is enough. Catherine Zeta-Jones is an interesting one. Emma Thompson? Joanna Lumley would be wonderful actually... Yeah CZJ I guess is a triple threat. When was the last time she appeared on stage in England? Most be 20 odd years. Not sure she's really that famous now. She doesn't do musicals anymore but Sarah Brighton was an incredible singer AND dancer. Was she a great actress? I thought she was good, but perhaps triple threat is pushing it. Genuine triple threats really are rare! |
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Post by craig on Apr 26, 2020 9:05:22 GMT
It is interesting that Imelda is really the only name in British musical theatre big enough (and talented enough) to open a show like this and sell tickets. And she is very much an actress who can sing.
I imagine there's plenty of British triple threats out there, but we have never nurtured them to stardom. Broadway has so many big stars. Who are ours?
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Post by clair on Apr 26, 2020 9:48:03 GMT
Would be quite happy to see Bonnie Langford, Josie Lawrence or Caroline Quentin - not the huge stars perhaps but all are great on stage and Caroline has a fabulous voice that should be more recognised. The problem we have here is that once people are known for musical theatre it's hard for them to move to film/tv so they don't become those big names whereas in the US they cross genre easily.
There are some really good performers out there who are just too young for the role as yet, I just hope they're still around in fifteen years time for all these wonderful roles
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2020 9:49:55 GMT
Three words. Sally. Ann. Triplett. Time for the world to catch up... Only seen her once, in the original Acorn Antiques, but yes she was sensational. Did she do Eurovision once for us?! Might be mixed up but rings a bell lol. Kathryn Evans an incredible singer and actor. Think she can dance as vaguely recall she was in the 1989 Anything Goes at the Prince Edward. |
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Post by danb on Apr 26, 2020 9:57:00 GMT
Three words. Sally. Ann. Triplett. Time for the world to catch up... Only seen her once, in the original Acorn Antiques, but yes she was sensational. Did she do Eurovision once for us?! Might be mixed up but rings a bell lol. Kathryn Evans an incredible singer and actor. Think she can dance as vaguely recall she was in the 1989 Anything Goes at the Prince Edward. She was part of a couple of Eurovision acts, yes, but has been consistently high quality in anything (even if it was bad). I think ‘Anything Goes’ at the NT & TRDL was my fave. Both big rooms to fill, which she did with total effervescent joy & talent. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2020 9:58:52 GMT
Only seen her once, in the original Acorn Antiques, but yes she was sensational. Did she do Eurovision once for us?! Might be mixed up but rings a bell lol. Kathryn Evans an incredible singer and actor. Think she can dance as vaguely recall she was in the 1989 Anything Goes at the Prince Edward. She was part of a couple of Eurovision acts, yes, but has been consistently high quality in anything (even if it was bad). I think ‘Anything Goes’ at the NT & TRDL was my fave. Both big rooms to fill, which she did with total effervescent joy & talent. Ah yes you've just reminded me - saw her in Anything Goes when it transferred Drury Lane - she was sensational. Cool. We have a genuine triple threat :-) |
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Post by alece10 on Apr 26, 2020 10:20:03 GMT
Here is a name to throw into the mix. Dame Julie Walters. She is also not a bad singer and proved it in Acorn Antiques The Musical.
However I still want to to be Imelda if it finally opens.
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Post by alece10 on Apr 26, 2020 10:21:20 GMT
Yes I agree. But who are the UK equivalents to the legendary multi-talented singers/actresses/entertainers like Midler, Streisand, Cher, Dolly, Liza etc? Erm... ![]() I'm going to be really ignorant now and say that I dont know who she is |
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Post by Dr Tom on Apr 26, 2020 10:31:57 GMT
Yes I agree. But who are the UK equivalents to the legendary multi-talented singers/actresses/entertainers like Midler, Streisand, Cher, Dolly, Liza etc? Lulu might still be available. |
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Post by danb on Apr 26, 2020 10:42:07 GMT
Erm... ![]() I'm going to be really ignorant now and say that I dont know who she is Skip to about 3:50, with ear muffs or similar protection ideally. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2020 10:54:50 GMT
It is interesting that Imelda is really the only name in British musical theatre big enough (and talented enough) to open a show like this and sell tickets. And she is very much an actress who can sing. I imagine there's plenty of British triple threats out there, but we have never nurtured them to stardom. Broadway has so many big stars. Who are ours? It feels like Imelda is now getting the sort of roles Judi Dench would be getting if she was 20 years younger. Whilst she never struggles to get roles, her movie career hasn’t quite made her a bankable name as a Hollywood lead just yet - though I suspect landing the lead in The Crown will open a few more doors for her. It’s no much that we don’t have triple threats, just no one that seems to be if they age group that’s m a genuine a-list name to make Dolly event theatre in the same way Bette did across the pond. I was thinking about this a little more and the likes of Cher, Dolly, Bette etc, they’re all still big names capable of touring in their own right, releasing new albums, selling out arenas and flipping between jobs with relative ease. I can’t think of a single British female popstar over 50 selling out arenas, never mind flipping between stage, theatre and film. I can’t think of anyone who has started out on the west end before going into music and then jumping into screen work in recent years either. The closest I can get is Beverley Knight and Alexandra Burke, but both would be doing music still if that career hasn’t stalled. Both are household names here in the UK (Alexandra more so I’d say, having done X Factor and Strictly) and are building quite the list of musical credits, so will be interesting to see if they can turn themselves into bankable leading lady west end names. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2020 10:56:53 GMT
Here is a name to throw into the mix. Dame Julie Walters. She is also not a bad singer and proved it in Acorn Antiques The Musical. However I still want to to be Imelda if it finally opens. She’s retired though hasn’t she? I’m sure I saw an interview where she’s said she’s at least semi-retired after re-evaluating following her battle with cancer. |
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Post by callum on Apr 26, 2020 13:17:50 GMT
Agree with all of your comments Kevin. The only experience of the show I've had was seeing Bette do it on Broadway - it seemed to me that the role is purposefully very thin, ready for a huge personality to bring it to life on stage. Almost just shy of being a character in a pantomime.
For that reason, if Imelda can no longer commit to the whole run, I quite like the idea of a fairly big star each coming in to do a 3-4 week run?
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